Monique Catino Art

I'm very happy to announce that my piece "It Wasn't Supposed to Be This Way" was selected for the exhibition "The Incredible Intensity of Just Being Human". It is currently showing at Blakely Hall, in Issaquah, and will be on display from April 22 through July 8, 2016. You can find the address here.

Monique Catino: "It Wasn't Supposed to Be This Way", Monoprint on Sumi paper, collograph, acrylic collage, 12" x 18"

 More information about this wonderful exhibit can be found below.

April 22–July 8, 2016, Blakely Hall, artEAST, and Swedish Issaquah

Curated by Kate Vrijmoet

The Incredible Intensity of Just Being Human, the provocative, nationally acclaimed art exhibit designed to explore the stigma of mental illness, is coming to Issaquah. See the full list of events, below. The artwork itself is displayed slightly off kilter — a little too high, a little too low and not quite level — to convey the idea that people living with mental illness inhabit the world differently from those better able to observe socially constructed norms. Join us, and join in the conversation.

The Incredible Intensity of Just Being Human was conceptualized and curated by three award-winning artists living in the Pacific Northwest. In the exhibit, twenty-six Pacific Northwest artists mix media to express how mental illness affects their loved ones, or themselves. In addition to the visual displays, The Incredible Intensity of Just Being Human, includes an on-going series of talks and performances about mental illness and its effects.

“By talking about mental illness, we reduce the shame surrounding it, and create a space where the prejudices and the fears we all have can give way to the compassion and the humanity we all have,” said Kate Vrijmoet, The Incredible Intensity of Just Being Human Curator and contributing artist.

The stigma surrounding mental illness is powerful and pervasive. Shame and silence often hinders people from getting help and sharing their struggle with friends and family. Yet, people with mental health problems can get better and many recover completely.

Please join us for the initial opening reception, Friday April 22 at Blakely Hall, and the grand opening reception, Friday April 29, 2016 in the Issaquah Senior Center followed by a reception at artEAST Art Center. Speakers will include Ellen Forney, author of Marbles; Issaquah’s Mayor Butler; Robin Callahan, Director of Issaquah School Foundation, and Kate Vrijmoet, exhibit curator. Then, join us at artEAST, where Ellen will be signing copies of her best-selling book. There will be refreshments and live music by the Issaquah School District Evergreen Orchestra String Quartet, including a selection from composers with known mental illnesses.

You can purchase a general show catalog for $10, or a special limited edition catalog for $24.

Exhibiting Artists: artEAST

Jackie Barnett, Patti Bowman, Chris Crites, Ezra Dickinson, Jody Jolderosma, Elsie Mahler-Scharff, Holly Ballard Martz, Lynn Schirmer, June Sekiguchi, Ann Teplick, Kate Vrijmoet

Exhibiting Artists: Blakely Hall

Jennifer Ament, Patti Bowman, Monique Catino, Chris Crites, Emily Dunkelberger, Rebekah Tenbroek Hansen,Larissa Herbert, Melissa Herzog, Bonnie Johnson, Bonnie Johnson, Becky Kaufman, John William Keedy, Kristi Kincheloe, Holly Ballard Martz, Leslie Nan Moon, Victoria Raymond, Juliette Ripley-Dunkelberger,Carol Ross, Lynn Schirmer, June Sekiguchi, Ann Teplick, Kate Vrijmoet, Season Yoshida

Exhibiting Artists: Swedish Issaquah

Jackie Barnett, Rebekah Tenbroek Hansen, Jody Joldersma, John William Keedy, Holly Ballard Martz, June Sekiguchi, Nicki Sucec, Ann Teplick, Michelle de la Vega, Kate Vrijmoet

Calendar of Events

Soft Opening Reception, Friday, April 22, Blakely Hall, 6–8 pm

Grand Opening Reception, Friday April 29, Issaquah Senior Center, 6–7 pm  and artEAST, 7–9 pm

Exhibit Tour, Wednesday May 4, artEAST, 6–7:30 pm

Co-led by Holly Ballard Martz & Jenna Genzale, with a focus on anxiety and depression in youth

Exhibit Tour, Friday May 6, Blakely Hall, 7–8:30 pm

Co-led by June Sekiguchi, Quin Breeland, and Katie Jo Glaves, with a focus on schizophrenia and drugs

Poetry Reading, Thursday May 12, Blakely Hall, 6–7:30 pm

Poetry by Ann Teplick

Video Awards, Wednesday May 17, X-3 Teen Center, Sammamish, 6–9 pm

Viewing and awards for the winning videos of The Influence the Choice Drug Prevention Alliance for Youth video contest. The 2-minute videos were created by Issaquah School District boundary students grade 6-12.

Panel Discussion, Thursday, May 19, Swedish Issaquah, 6–8:30 pm

Lauren Davis, Ketema Ross, Theresa Winther and Megan Chiarelli will discuss the stigma of mental illness

Exhibit Tour, Friday May 20, artEAST, 6–7:30 pm

Co-led by Lynn Schirmer and Karen Fuller, with the topic “Is it cool to have parts?”

Talk, Saturday, May 21, Issaquah Police Station, Eagle Room, 12–1:30 pm

Youth Truth: Straight Talk With Parents and Teens is an opportunity for parents and teens to dialogue about school and community environments that lead to stress, anxiety and depression.

Workshop, Tuesday May 24, Friends of Youth, 414 Front St N, 9–11 am

Creative Writing for Self-Care, facilitated by Ann Teplick, will include reading and inspiration from poetry

Film Screening, Thursday May 26, artEAST, 6–7:30 pm

Screening of “Mother for you I made this” and Q&A with Ezra Dickinson on schizophrenia

Author Talk, Thursday, June 2, Blakely Hall, 6–8 pm

Cinda Johnson, author of Perfect Chaos, A Daughter’s Struggle to Survive Bipolar and a Mother’s Journey to Save Her

Student Exhibit, Tuesday, June 7,  Issaquah High School, 5–7 pm

Student art & social change exhibit featuring the work of Issaquah High School and Issaquah Middle School students in conjunction with artist Michelle de la Vega and poet Ann Teplick,

Exhibit Tour, Thursday, June 9, artEAST, 6–7:30 pm

Co-led by Elsie Mahler-Scharff and Scott Johnson

Workshop, Friday June 10, artEAST, 6–8 pm

Ekphrastic poetry workshop with Ann Teplick

Artist Talk, Wednesday, June 15, artEAST, 6–7 pm

Michelle de la Vega presents outcomes of social change art, made possible by an Artist Trust Fellowship Grant