Welcome to the newest gallery in JAC’s Gallery of the Month series, where we showcase a wide range of art and writing under unique monthly themes. Check back on the first of each month for a new collection of works by the talented artists in the JAC network. To view past galleries of the month, see our Gallery Archive.
As the days grow shorter and colder, every animal has its own way to cope. Geese exist in a constant pursuit of warmth; they pack their bags and head to their vacation homes in the South as soon as the earth is kissed by the season’s first frost. Bears decide that they can’t be bothered to deal with the temperature changes, and they lock themselves indoors and allow themselves to rest until the sunshine returns (oh, to be a bear). We may do the same, at times, as the winter can be a beautiful time to savor solitude. But we also use the change in temperature as a reason to become more connected, to come together and celebrate the presence of the people among us and mourn the absence of the ones we’ve lost. Winter may be a solitary time, but the idea of community is ever-present, whether we feel heightened interconnectedness or a stronger sense of isolation during this time of the year.
This month, we celebrate the artists who have captured the feeling of community. It is a powerful thing to witness the ways in which community can be constructed in prisons or captured through the artwork of those in our network. It is also uplifting to see the community that has grown through JAC and the ways in which people have been brought together through artwork, friendship, and the desire to construct a different, more just system that, among other things, respects people’s fundamental need for community. There is beauty in solitude, but the winter months prove how much we need to be surrounded by one another.
We at JAC hope that you enjoy these stunning depictions of community as much as we do, and that you find peace in the presence of those around you as the holidays approach us. Remember, too, that you have a community through JAC, and that we have found community through you.
We hope you enjoy this month’s gallery: Community
