Biennial Collaboration

Every other year, WiVLA’s board selects a theme, and its members form collaborative partnerships of two or three artists, with each partner from a different creative discipline – one literary and one visual, for example. Together they explore the ideas and concepts behind the theme and agree upon a direction for the partnership to take to express their interpretation of the theme. Then each partner, in her own way, creates an individual work. Next, over the course of multiple meetings, the partners discuss each other’s work so that each piece within the partnership evolves together towards a cohesive, unified whole.

Partners find each other in various ways: a speed-dating meeting, gatherings to meet fellow members, and even a few “blind dates.” Some members found themselves intrigued by women they knew only by name. Others were captivated by new sides of members they already counted as friends. Long-time members paired with brand new members. New members summoned up the courage to work with someone unknown. Many members picked partners they didn’t know well to see where the challenge of the current theme would take them.

2024 Collaboration

The theme for the 2024 Collaboration is ENTANGLED. This theme embodies a multifaceted concept that can encompass various dimensions of complexity, connection, and involvement. It can describe an intricately interwoven or interconnected state, whether in relationships, systems, or ideas. It might suggest a complex web of emotions, thoughts, or events that are deeply intertwined, potentially leading to confusion or conflict. Metaphorically, it could signify being caught up in a problematic situation or ensnared by circumstances beyond one's control. Alternatively, "entangled" might evoke imagery of being immersed in a rich and intricate tapestry of experiences, where every thread contributes to the overall pattern of existence. It could also convey a sense of being profoundly involved or invested in something, positively or negatively.

Registered Collaboration Partners

  • Melody Locke, Gwendolyn Womack

  • Susan Salter, Celeste Budwit-Hunter

  • Brooke Summers-Perry, Kathi Crawford

  • Deborah Ellington, Ellen Seaton

  • Donna Perkins, Margo Stutts Toombs

  • Gail Plunkett, Sherry Ward

  • Shirley Beyer, Ann Leis

  • MJ (Mary Jane) Figard, Kay McStay

  • Jean King, Rebecca Chirak

  • Kelley Porter, Gladys Mae Bullock

  • Margaret Anderson, Chris Rogers

  • Gretchen McDaniel, Jamie Frontiera

  • Melissa Chambers, Brooke Summers-Perry

  • Marie Casamayor-Harvey, Deborah Frontiera

  • Ruby R Scott, Gabrielle Langley

  • Kem Kemp, Donna Magana

  • Lane Devereux, Trilla Pando

  • Marie Casamayor-Harvey, Sandi Stromberg

  • Catherine Gentry, Jessica Parsons

  • Jo Zider, Jere Pfister

  • Cathy Davis, Liz Plaster

  • Rosario Solis, Mimi Honeycutt