Whirlwind Times

Sending love amidst the chaos

Hanging out at Outside In Theatre with Lee Rosen (left), Jessica Hanna (middle), me and Le Flaneur (right)

How are you holding up in all the chaos, friends? While news of the world alternates between enraging, exhausting, and deeply sorrowful, there is so much that is good on the creative and community front.

I was awestruck to be on a panel with Amanda Cachia and Jill Dawsey! I’ve admired their work for ages. We took part in a round table discussion on accessibility in visual arts at the College Arts Association conference in Chicago and it was awesome. Also chatted with Nightlight Books, a pop-up bookshop in Cleveland focusing on disability and disabled authors.

I had a lovely talk with Lee Rosen at Outside In Theatre right before watching their beautiful and accessible production of Room By The Sea. Lee was in Opulent Mobility last year (check out her mirrored AFO brace). She was an accessibility dramaturge for this lovely production and invited me to bring my art to the lobby. If you’re near Highland Park, the show runs through March 17th.

And thanks to all who stopped by at the CalArts career fair on Wednesday! Looking forward to getting in touch with all of you.

Wee paper Elphaba costume, now in the window at Underdog Bookstore

Upcoming art, mending, and more:

Systems of Power/Systems of Silence, a politically charged art show, opens this Saturday from 2-5 PM at the Los Angeles Makery in Little Tokyo.

Sunday I’m mending at the mutual aid pop up at Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia. Bring something to mend and check out the wee Elphaba in the window made from cutout pages from Harry Potter books. (Got to be something good we can make from those…)

Check out the Diverse/City exhibit on site with the art of Dellis Frank and Kacy Treadway! The show run is extended until March 28th when Diverse/City 2 with Mary Cheung and Leah Knecht begins.

There will be a virtual No Kings protest March 28 at 1 PM PST on Zoom for disabled folks to join, hosted by Priya Ray of DIYabled. Register here.

Phoenix Rising and reflection

I’m surrounded by a pile of paper in readiness for Window Dressing at Cerritos College, curated by James MacDevitt. April 6th I’ll install paper costumes in their window display that are based on characters from banned books: Fahrenheit 451, A Clockwork Orange, Wicked (the book), and All Boys Aren’t Blue.

Phoenix Rising will be on view at Adams Square Park in Glendale until April 10th, just in time to get it ready for the Fantastical World of Wearable Art. This show curated by me and Lisa Tomczeszyn opens April 12 at the Makery with a Trashion show by Amy Bauer.

Stay tuned for upcoming calls for art in April/May: Enter the Goddesses 4 and Opulent Mobility 2026! Check out last year’s exhibits here and here for inspiration and ideas.

My Inanna sculpture will hopefully get her head and cape by October!

Socks Whitmore, Dr. Ifunanya Nweke of Jazz Hands for Autism, Sade Musa of the Los Angeles Spoonie Collective, Alexis Neumann of Disabled Artists and I are planning a disability arts open mic and gathering for October 2026! Get in touch for more details. I’ll keep you posted on the exact date and venue as soon as they are settled.

And here are folks doing the good work, keeping us informed, and lifting our spirits. Keep inspired, keep up your own activism and know that you are loved.

Organizations: World Central Kitchen, NDLON, FreeFrom, Standing Together

News: Erin in the Morning, Jessica Valenti, Drop Site News, Critical Resistance (free subscriptions available)

and check out my cousin Susan Ruth on the Uplifters podcast!

XO Laura