Spring Campaign Spotlight: Paige Pettibon
Published: May 19, 2021
Categories: Featured | Spring Campaign
Paige Pettibon is a visual artist based in Tacoma, Washington. Her medium focus is acrylic painting but has extended to fiber art, beadwork, and other media. Paige is Black, white, and Salish (from the Confederated Salish and Kootenei Tribes). She is influenced by her native northwest community by learning the Lushootseed language, tribal songs, dances, and traditions.
We spoke with Paige as part of our 2021 Spring Fundraising Campaign on the resilience of artists and what has inspired her throughout this time. We are working to raise $55,000 by June 30 in support of artists, with $40,000 left to go! Read Paige’s interview below and join us by donating here!
On the resilience of artists and what has inspired her:
“Resilience to me is a form of self-care. Sometimes it is self-preservation and knowing your boundaries. I try my best to work hard every day, stay authentic to my core values but listen to others. Finding a balance between what I can do and what is too much. I found that tracking my behavior daily has helped me recognize if my well-being is out of balance. For me, if I am well, I am well enough to take care of my community.
My friends, my family, my partner, and my community have inspired me. I found people in the virtual space expressing support in ways that I couldn’t imagine. Like they say, it takes a village. My hope comes from the reciprocity ebbing and flowing in all forms.”
How she’s different from a year ago:
“I’m a lot busier than I was a year ago. I have taken this time to reflect on my work and make connections with people from all over. Since most people are moving to virtual spaces, I have worked with people in places where distance would have been a barrier prior to the pandemic.”
What support artists and artist communities need:
“Artists can always use financial support, exposure, and a compliment. My dream is for artists to share spaces with others to help build community and develop skills. Offering an artist space, resources and connecting them with someone you know can be a good way to show support.”
