Totems and Musings in Mixed Media

Gualala Arts is pleased to announce Totems and Musings in Mixed Media, a new exhibition by Northern California artist Jacqueline McAbery, opening in the Jacob Foyer.  McAbery’s latest body of work explores the symbolic and spiritual qualities of totems-forms long regarded in Indigenous and Native American cultures as conduits to the divine. Inspired by this concept, she presents totems in a variety of sizes on wood panels, some intentionally paired to suggest conversation or connection. Complementing these works are mixed‑media “musings,” pieces that emerged organically from the process of creating the totems. These works incorporate her handmade papers and reflect her ongoing experimentation with texture, technique, and layered surfaces.

“Creating art is both product and process,” McAbery says. “It can be healing, releasing energy, and nourishing the soul. In a world that feels uncertain and ever‑changing, making art helps me center myself and find my authentic voice.”

Nature serves as McAbery’s primary inspiration- its mystery, power, depth, and shifting light. Her connection to the natural world informs the emotional and intuitive qualities of her work. Although her artistic journey began with photography, she later shifted to painting, seeking greater expressive freedom.

In recent months, McAbery has focused on developing handmade papers and experimenting with new techniques. These papers have become integral to her mixed‑media collages, adding depth and tactile richness. Her paintings are created in oil, acrylic, or mixed media, using an array of unconventional tools such as hotel key cards, palette knives, bowl scrapers, squeegees, trowels, twigs, a marble, and found objects.

McAbery grew up in the Northeast and Southeast before moving to San Francisco, where her passion for art deepened. She holds a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and a dual MFA from Antioch University in clinical psychology and art therapy. Her work has won awards and is included in collections across the country.

Totems and Musings in Mixed Media invites viewers to experience McAbery’s thoughtful, intuitive approach to artmaking—an exploration of nature, spirit, and the quiet conversations that happen within.