Jay Stoneking: Cherry Blossom Bruises
March 5-28, 2026
First Thursday Art Walk - Thursday, March 5th, 5-8PM
Closing Reception / Artist Talk - Saturday, March 28th, 2-4PM
Jay Stoneking: Cherry Blossom Bruises. Minimalist landscapes set with delicate botanical installations reflect the double layered grief of personal loss and political violence against transgender Americans.
Fluffy cloudscapes in soft pinks and powder blues call to quiet mornings watching a loved one die in slow motion. Over time they blossom into light bruises, reflecting a double layered grief peering into violence against transgender bodies reflected in American politics. In these clouds are both the gentle breeze of spring, and threats of a thunderous storm ahead.
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These works were conceived during the late winter and early spring of 2025 as Stoneking grappled with caring for a close family member, Eliza, through her journey with cancer while coming to terms with the abuse of trangender Americans by the American government.
Each week brought worse news from diagnosis to death, punctuated by continuing attacks on the artist’s legal and medical safety from the moment the Trump administration took office. In his outpouring of grief and anger he started this series of paintings that incorporate the colors of the transgender flag turned into cloudscapes resembling bruises.
Alongside his paintings is a botanical installation featuring flowers and organic material collected over many years of living with Eliza. Carefully dried and arranged into color fields, this installation serves as a tender expression of loss. Cherry blossoms were her favorite flower and spring was her favorite season.