Holly Hazelton

October 1 – 31, 2026

Opening/First Thursday Art Walk: October 1, 5-8 pm
Artist Talk: Saturday, October 24, 2pm

Unjaded is an exploration of what it means to remain open – to tenderness, wonder, connection, and possibility – in a world that often teaches us otherwise. To be “unjaded” is not simply to be optimistic, but to choose openness again and again in the face of apathy, familiarity, and disappointment. It is a kind of work, a practice of paying attention: of looking closely, staying receptive, and allowing the ordinary to surprise us. It’s an in the moment, quiet sort of feeling, like a secret we have to be willing enough to see.

Through vibrant drawings and penned observations, these works explore the active feeling of encountering our everyday surroundings with fresh eyes. The colorful and tactile oil pastel and colored pencil drawings linger in the sensory qualities of these experiences, exploring new opportunities for perception, curiosity, and connection. The writings move along a different path, from inward to outward, giving language to recalled memories, emerging emotions, and small moments of recognition. Together, the text and images approach connection from both directions: from the inner self reaching outward, and from the outer world reaching in, becoming newly charged through attention. Somewhere between these two movements is the unjaded spark – the moment when something familiar becomes strange again, and wonder has the chance to begin.