Coming up in January, ‘Happy Birthday’ presented by the Steady Hands Artist Cooperative and curated by Syd Campbell! This exhibition will feature works by Adrien Klunke, Ali Estelle, Anelise Hurst, Bryce Gray, Elijah Link Robbins, Ella Salerno, Gannon Shaffer, Janette Davalos, Jenna Wesson, Kat Hardi, Lauren Fleniken, Sera Rose, Steven Santamaria, and Syd Campbell. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, January 24 from 6-10pm. The Eclectika is located at 711 N. Britain Rd, Irving, TX 75061.

About the show:

Shel Silverstein's brief, five-line poem "Happy Birthday" creates a story of someone who decides to celebrate themselves without waiting for anyone's permission. Despite the unfortunate outcome of their birthday party, they choose to enjoy the day with their own company. This is the core of our exhibition by the same title; "Happy Birthday" is about resilience and self-confidence. For this show, the members of Steady Hands Artist Cooperative have banded together to seek works from emerging artists in the DFW area that embody a resilient attitude and a strong sense of self in the face of obstacles, such as loneliness, gender identity, social expectations, cultural tensions, misogyny and violence against women, trauma, and mental illness, to name a few of these artworks' very nuanced messages. Much of the work our curators have selected uses birthday and party iconography, such as cake, candles, piñatas, and confetti. Our goal is to create an immersive exhibition that makes the visitor feel as though they are attending a birthday party where something has gone amiss, and their exploration of the artwork can give them insight to the complicated issues at this celebration. We hope this exhibition can provide a sense of being seen to anyone who has felt like this birthday boy, as well as an energizing invitation to appreciate and celebrate yourself.