Curatorial Project: Take Care (of Us)

Open Call for Art: Take Care (of Us)

Deadline to submit: April 30, 2026

As artists, we imagine what could be different, sometimes what could be better. This exhibition invites engagement with that impulse while confronting the tensions that arise when our imaginings meet flawed reality. Take Care (of Us) explores how we shape (and are shaped by) ecosystems, environments, and one another, even as we remain vulnerable to forces beyond our control.

Take Care (of Us) is not about prescribing solutions, but about holding space for complexity, interconnection, contradiction, and hope. “Take care” has many meanings: a caution toward one’s unintended impact, but also a preemptive taking of responsibility; to tend to, shelter and protect, or a goodbye that bids, “look after yourself.” Each reflects our tacit attachments to a world larger than ourselves.

Artists working in all visual media are invited to apply to this year’s Open Call, guest juried by Natasha Zeta, CFEVA Visual Artist Fellowship Alum. Please find the submission form below. Accepted Submissions will be notified in early May for a July drop off date to Philadelphia, PA, 19104. The exhibition will be on view from July-September 2026.

CFEVA Members may submit to this call at no additional cost. Contact us at Membership@cfeva.org for the Members link to submit for free. Please contact Membership@cfeva.org or visit cfeva.org/membership to join or renew your membership.

Click here to apply for the 2026 Open Call for Art.

Please note, this application is nonrefundable. Refunds cannot be applied retroactively.

Award: 2025 Illuminate the Arts Grant

I am the proud recipient of the 2025 The Illuminate the Arts Grant! ITAG is designed to strengthen and financially uplift Philadelphia’s creative sector, especially artists and organizations rooted in communities that have been historically underfunded or excluded from traditional sources of arts support.  

A total of $1.5M will be distributed to individual artists, small and mid-size arts organizations, and small creative enterprises across Philadelphia to recognize and sustain their creative practice, while expanding access to the arts in economically marginalized neighborhoods. 

Holiday Market: Philly Holiday Art Open House

Local Germantown friends, Diane Pieri, Cybele Moon, and Kathryn Pannepacker will be joining me to sell some of their own art works. Diane will be selling her artful toys.

There will be homemade treats and hot cider. Come over to say hello, stay for some treats, and good conversation, and/ or peruse the art available for sale.

Sunday December 15 1pm - 7pm

6142 Wayne Ave, Apt. 6

(3rd floor walk up/ no elevator)

Philadelphia, PA

Presenter: Asian Arts Initiative Town Hall

Asian Arts Initiative's Artist Town Hallsianartsinitiative.org/programs/artist-town-hall-on-abolition-and-creative-labor invites artists to come together to share their latest projects, make a pitch, and exchange resources. This iteration of the Town Hall invites BIPOC, Palestinian, and SWANA artists whose practice or current projects engage restorative justice and anti-oppression efforts. I presented my project Point of Entry and explained how I hope to involve restorative justice movements in my work.

Monday, November 18th Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine Street, Philadelphia

POST: Cherry Street Pier

The Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST) is the largest, self-guided, free-to-attend tour of artist studios and creative workspaces in the region, and one of the premier open studio tour events in the country, crossing into over 26 neighborhoods throughout the city for two weekends each October. All artists in the city of Philadelphia are invited to be a part.

I will be exhibiting at Cherry Street Pier along with other Center for Emerging Visual Artist Fellows! Please feel free to stop by.

Exhibition Dates: October 26th - 27th 2024 Cherry Street Pier, 121 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia

Award: Puffin Foundation

So excited to tell you that I have been awarded a $1,00 grant from the Puffin Foundation! The Puffin Foundation provides grants to artists who are often excluded from mainstream opportunities due to their race, gender, or social philosophy.

This grant partially funded the Point of Entry x Women Against Abuse exhibition in June 2024.

Exhibition: Point of Entry x Women Against Abuse

Exhibition Dates: June 7th - July 7th, 2024

Reception Date: Saturday, June 15th, 2024

Location: Walls for Justice Gallery, Cherry Street Pier, 141 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia

Point of Entry is a series of oil paintings depicting people’s scars and sites of somatic healing. Each intimate portrait is painted on a piece of broken mirror, allowing the viewer to see themselves reflected within. Together these pieces allude to being part of a larger, imperfect mosaic of community and invites the viewer to glimpse into a life outside their own and see a part of themselves.

Point of Entry seeks to amplify narratives from marginalized communities that disproportionately experience mental illness, but whose stories are vastly underrepresented in our conversations about mental health. In light of this mission, the project is collaborating with Women Against Abuse, Philadelphia’s leading domestic and intimate partner violence advocate and service provider and among the largest domestic violence agencies in the country.

This project intends to enrich community discussions of domestic and intimate partner violence while also portraying stories of how people heal, illuminating how we connect with others and hold space for their experiences. Butterflies created by visitors will be intertwined throughout the exhibition, representing the color and resilience we possess. Vulnerabilities are universal yet idiosyncratic; more, they are seeds from which beauty creatively emerges.

Special thanks to Women Against Abuse and Niki DelRossi for their support of this project. We'd like to also thank The Puffin Foundation Ltd. for their support of this project

Group Exhibition: Philadelphia Magic Gardens

I am pleased to announce my acceptance into the Philadelphia Magic Gardens group exhibition Under $100, Under $1000 curated by Chelsey Luster! Expanding across two gallery spaces within Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, this group exhibition showcases contemporary works that are priced under $100 in one gallery and under $1000 in the other.  

Exhibition Dates: November 17, 2023 – January 14, 2024

Reception: Friday, November 17, 2023, 6- 9pm

Philadelphia Magic Gardens

1020 South Street, Philadelphia

POST: Henry Bermudez, Michelle Marcuse, and Natasha Zeta | CFEVA Visual Artist Fellows

Join us for behind-the-scenes glimpses of three Fishtown mixed media artists, Henry Bermudez, Michelle Marcuse, and Natasha Zeta as they show recent work and talk about their practices for Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST), a program of The Center for Emerging Visual Artists.

Coming from Venezuela, Henry Bermudez's embrace a hybrid of myths, symbols and religious lore from pre-Hispanic, Judeo-Christian and Afro-Caribbean influences. His work transcends timelines and national boundaries as he merges magical dimensions of symbols with western rationality. This blend of cultural diversities is his autobiographical vision that further defines itself through immersion into societies other than the one he was born into.

Michelle Marcuse's recent work is significantly influenced by the vibrant cultural aesthetics that surrounded her during formative years growing up in South Africa. Through an exploration of the intricate relationship between identity, history, and the shared human experience amidst an ever-changing cultural fusion, she blends traditional craft techniques experienced in her youth with modern aesthetics, prompting questions around fixed identity and shifting narratives in today's society.

Natasha Zeta is a mixed media painter who creates interactive portraiture with broken mirrors, allowing the viewer to step into another perspective. Zeta seeks to amplify narratives from marginalized communities whose stories are vastly underrepresented in our conversations about mental health, often collaborating with nonprofits to paint portraits of trauma survivors to celebrate their journeys of healing.

October 14th - 15th, 2023, 12 - 6pm
1816 Frankford Ave
Philadelphia

Group Exhibition: Lehigh Gallery

I am pleased to announce Nature Nurture has been accepted to exhibit at Lehigh University Art Galleries!

This exhibition explores several themes related to body knowledge:  Movement and Sensation; Decoration, Ritual, and Costume; The Social Body; The Body in Transformation; and Extending the Body. 

There are plenty of free programs and events that explore the many ways we can care for and understand our bodies and each other through transformative experiences with art.

Exhibition: August 28, 2023 - May 24, 2024

Lehigh University Art Galleries

420 East Packer Avenue

Bethlehem, PA 18015

Group Exhibition: CFEVA Art Party

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists (CFEVA) is throwing their 40th Anniversary party to celebrate the success of the over 300 artists who have passed through our flagship Visual Artist Fellowship. Gather with artists, our supporters, and many in the Philly art space (including Moore alumni), and view a special art sale (including my work), unique art installations, and artful cocktails with delicious food. Click HERE for more details and to purchase tickets.

Wednesday, June 7th

Atrium, The Galleries at Moore

1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Published: Collide Magazine

I am pleased to be one of the emerging artists featured in Collide Magazine and I also shared Point of Entry at their open mic event! Collide is a collaborative project born out of the idea to bring the intimate art of spoken word poetry and open mic culture to a larger stage. It is made by Philly  creatives for Philly creatives, with an objective to bring visual creators and writers together in a way that permanently records their stories.

Sunday May 21st, 7pm

Abyssinia, 2nd Floor, 229 S 45th St, Philadelphia

Artist of the Month: Maleani

I will be Maelani’s Artist of the Month! Join me as I present Cracked Open and Nature Nurture at this eclectic Germantown venue!

Exhibition Dates: May 14th - June 3rd.

Maelani Cafe 6734 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia

Crowdfunding Campaign: Point of Entry x Women Against Abuse

Point of Entry is a series of oil paintings that depicts powerful images of people and their scars or other sites of somatic healing. Each scar is painted on a fragment of broken mirror with a carved line defining the incision of the scar, allowing the viewer to see themselves reflected within.

Point of Entry seeks to amplify narratives from marginalized communities that disproportionately experience mental illness, but whose stories are vastly underrepresented in our conversations about mental health. In light of this mission, the project is collaborating with Women Against Abuse, Philadelphia’s leading domestic violence advocate and service provider and among the largest domestic violence agencies in the country.

This project aims to raise awareness of resources, highlight survivors’ stories beyond victimization and shine a light on how people heal.

I am raising funds independently. Please consider donating any amount towards this project - every little bit will help! Even just $10 would make all the difference.

Thank you so much, and if you cannot donate at this time, please consider sharing it on Instagram and Facebook!’

Presenter: Gapura Leaders Meet & Greet

Honored to be invited to the Gapura Philadelphia Leaders Meet & Greet to connect with other local community leaders, share details on Point of Entry, and hear about BIPOC and community lead projects happening in South Philadelphia and beyond.

Saturday, March 18th, 5pm

Gapura Community Center 1612 S Broad St, Philadelphia

Presenter: Twelve Gates Arts x Batikh Batikh

Recently I presented Point of Entry at Twelve Gates Arts and Batikh Batikh’s Community Night led by curator Sarah Trad! SWANA/SA creatives such as visual artists and writers presented their practice for feedback from other artists within the culture.

Thursday, March 16, 2023, 5:30pm

Twelve Gates Arts 106 North 2nd Street Philadelphia

Presenter: Asian Arts Initiative Town Hall

The Asian Arts Initiative Town Hall is a networking event where artists, organizers, and organizations come together to support upcoming artistic projects and break bread over a potluck dinner.

I am presenting my expansion plan of the Point of Entry series!

Monday, March 13th at 6pm

Asian Arts Initiative

1219 Vine St, Philadelphia

Group Exhibition: Remix

Last exhibition of the year! Check out REMIX at Wanderlife Gallery.

Reception: December 9th 6 - 9pm

Wanderlife Gallery, 2231 S 13th St, Philadelphia

Exhibition: Point of Entry x Safe Horizon AT

November 4th - December 3rd

Reception: November 4th, 6 - 9pm, Panel at 6:30

Wanderlife Gallery, 2231 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA

RSVP Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/point-of-entry-x-safe-horizon-atp-art-exhibition-tickets-423832704027

Point of Entry is a series of oil paintings depicting people’s scars and sites of somatic healing. Each intimate portrait is painted on a piece of broken mirror, allowing the viewer to see themselves reflected within. Together these pieces allude to being part of a larger, imperfect mosaic of community and invites the viewer to glimpse into a life outside their own and see a part of themselves.

Point of Entry seeks to amplify narratives from marginalized communities that disproportionately experience mental illness, but whose stories are vastly underrepresented in our conversations about mental health. In light of this mission, the project is collaborating with Safe Horizon, a non-profit organization that provides services to victims of crimes. Since 2001, the Anti-Trafficking Program (ATP) has provided trauma-informed intensive case management, psychotherapy, and legal assistance to trafficking survivors. 

This project intends to enrich community discussions of trafficking while also portraying stories of how people heal, illuminating how we connect with others and hold space for their experiences. Butterflies created by trauma survivors and visitors will be intertwined throughout the exhibition, representing the color and resilience we possess. Vulnerabilities are universal yet idiosyncratic; more, they are seeds from which beauty creatively emerges.

Special thanks to Safe Horizon for their support of this project. We would like to thank the Puffin Foundation and ArtisPHL for their support of this project.

Exhibition: Cicatrix

Krista Svalbonas and Natasha Zeta are pleased to present Cicatrix, an exhibition on how we ground ourselves after trauma. Drawing from personal stories, each artist illustrates acts of defiance, resilience, and growth despite devastation. Whether caused by upheaval from geopolitical warfare or from our own internal struggles, this collaboration explores the idea of a fractured identity and how we heal from our experiences to create a new path as well as preserve and honor the memory of where we have been.

September 19th - October 22nd

CFEVA Philadelphia Open Studio Tour: Sunday, October 22nd

Allens Lane Art Center, 601 W Allens Ln, Philadelphia, PA 19119