Through my collage artworks, I celebrate womanhood and the people who identify with it. I am deeply inspired by stories of women who have fought against patriarchal expectations and won. By leaning into their strength and perseverance, I adopt their courage as my own. Working on collages that illustrate the joy, beauty, and comradery of sisterhood has helped me to cope with the stress of an unpredictable year. When the world crumbled, these pillars of strength have reminded me that I am not alone. These collages were made to soothe my own anxieties, but I share them with others as a reminder that we are in this together. 

Kelly D. Villalba is an interdisciplinary artist from Newark, New Jersey. She has exhibited at the Williamsburg Art & Historical Center in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the Mueller Gallery in Caldwell, NJ, The JCAST in Jersey City, NJ, and at the Newark Arts Festival in Newark, NJ. Kappa Pi’s Art Honor Society featured Kelly’s artworks in their Spring 2018 Sketchbook publication, and she received a grant from Kappa Pi for her new media collages. Kelly graduated with her B.F.A. in Studio Art from Caldwell University in May 2017.