In The Gallery: Women's Art Exhibition
Exhibition Reception
4-6 p.m. Oct. 10
Gallery Talks
Leonie Castelino: Prerecorded
Patsy Surh O’Connell: 12 p.m. Oct. 7
Irene Osborn: 12 p.m. Oct. 9
Bella Kim: 12 p.m. Oct. 10
Art Activity:
Making Art with Recycled Materials With Bella Kim, 1 p.m. Oct. 8
Join us in the Building 4 Art Gallery at Tacoma Community College to experience an exhibition by four outstanding local women artists.
Leonie Castelino
Leonie Castelino is an American Fine Artist and Curator, recognized internationally as one of the 20th Century influences as Contemporary Bojagi Fiber Artist in the book, ‘Bojagi’ by Sara Cook, (UK). Her work is featured in premiere international juried Exhibitions in international museums and in international books and publications.
Artist's Statement:
Through the power of art, my work celebrates the strength of the feminine and their emancipation issues. My mission is to create beauty, thought and provoke dialogue with ethereal fabric on difficult subjects. This exhibition pays homage to the Haenyeo, the legendary Women divers of Jeju Island, South Korea, designated in 2016 as ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ by UNESCO. A dying matriarchal society with economic traditions. With this backdrop, the exhibition highlights the ongoing struggle with women’s emancipation in 2025 - ‘Breaking Free’: the right of girls to live, to dream, to be mothers, and to be in control of their freedoms.
Bella Kim
Bella Kim is a Korean American artist who transforms recycled plastics and fabric into meaningful works inspired by Korean Jogakbo. Her art explores identity, memory, and sustainability. She seeks community connection through interactive experiences and exhibits widely, including Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. She received the Artist Trust GAP Award.
Artist's Statement:
I began with a question that stayed with me: “Who am I as a woman?” To me, womanhood is not defined by the body alone, but shaped through care, labor, and the roles passed down through generations. Sewing connects me to the women in my family, brings back memories of how their hands sustained the home. In three installation works in this exhibition, I follow the engage in stitching, tying, and washing—daily labors that reflect women’s unseen work. These pieces honor the resilience, strength, wisdom that I have inherited and the role I carry forward, hoping it reaches the lives beyond mine.
Patsy Surh O’Connell
Patsy Surh O’Connell is a Korean American artist and founder of Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 4841 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma, representing forty-seven Asia and Pacific Islands.
Artist's Statement:
This artwork represents my personal journey of cultural identity and growth, as well as the blending of Korean and American influences in my life. The foreground features Gongbi style crows, symbolizing my upbringing in Korea, with the colors red and blue signifying my contemplation and dreams of America. The middle section depicts a single crow perched on a square Sekdong, illustrating my foot in both cultures as I left Korea. The free style brushwork on the crow with Sekdong in the background represents my ability to fly freely with the influence of Korean culture always present within me. The fraying thread symbolizes my desire to spread my beliefs and connect with others. Through this collage of my works, I aim to convey the complexity and richness of my cultural heritage and the ongoing journey of integrating and expressing both Korean and American influences in my art.
Irene Osborn
Irene Osborn was born and raised in postwar Germany. She emigrated to Canada as a young adult. She lived in Halifax NS, New York City, Charleston, and Boston. In 1984, she settled with her family in Olympia, WA. She studies art history and ceramic sculpture at The Evergreen State College. Her bronze sculpture Addiction was chosen for the Plinth Project of the City of Olympia for the year 2023-2024.
Artist's Statement:
I use sculpture to express a feeling, experienced by many, that would be too hard for me to describe in words. The Wave, for example, tries to catch the moment when life changes forever, when nothing will be the same. I could have named it Oh NO! The woman balancing on the wall is a metaphor for our daily struggle to balance our time, commitments, health, diet, money and everything else. Failure could lead to minor or major, even fatal consequences.
Call for Entries Open
Black Artists Exhibition
Artists are invited to submit entries for the Black Artists Exhibition by Oct. 10. The exhibition will be held Feb. 11 – March 13, 2026.
Printmaking Exhibition
Artists are invited to submit entries for the Printmaking Exhibition by 3 p.m. Dec. 19. The exhibition will be held Jan. 2-30, 2026, and a printmaking exchange will be held 4-6 p.m. Jan. 22.