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From May through July 25, enjoy Eugene artist Julie Anderson Bailey's show "Biology Rising" on exhibit in the Magazines and Newspapers room on the second floor of the Downtown Library.

Says Bailey, "In this body of work, made over the past two years, I’m exploring the nature of life at the cellular level and humanity’s interdependence on the natural world and each other. We are balancing hope and heartbreak as we adapt in this time of global pandemic, division and climate change. These disruptions to our daily life force us to learn new ways to co-exist in community." 

"In nature, freshwater Volvox algae form 'daughter colonies' inside their mother cells and work together to move up towards the light to survive. I believe humanity is in the middle of a Volvox moment. We have to collaborate to solve problems, get through pandemics, demand social justice, deal with climate change, and accept our loneliness, grief, and anxiety as we keep moving towards the light. I choose to live with hope as a strategy because it makes me feel better, but hope mixed with action is essential. "

The show includes four components:

• “Biology Rising” window installation: these tissue paper and wire circles were made with hand-pulled monotypes (on a gel pad) on vintage sewing patterns, then dipped in beeswax. "They are inspired by Volvox freshwater algae that form daughter colonies and work together to survive."
• “Hues of Life '' circle prints:  created from a section of one of the “Biology Rising” monoprints, then run through several digital filters. "They remind me of the micrology of humanity - as we study our smallest details, we find that we're almost identical, yet our variations are beautiful and essential. "    
• “The Art of COVID”  paintings: created in 2020, "just as COVID was exploding. These explore themes of humans and biology in conflict, and how politics, art and music can divide and unite us."                             
• “The State of Hope” mixed media collages: "explore human tribalism and were made in 2021 in response to the question 'how does the American flag make you feel?,' which I posted on social media. I’ve incorporated many of the answers I received into the art."

Julie Anderson Bailey grew up in Eugene and "spent countless hours at Eugene Public Library as a kid." She has balanced careers in technology, startups, writing and art for the past 25 years, most recently spending 7 years at Hewlett Packard and HP Inc. in Product Development and Product Marketing. She managed the non-profit Mirror Pond Gallery for Arts Central, helped launch the A6 Printmaking Studio, and currently teaches at WhitPrint, the Arts Business Alliance in Eugene, and Umpqua Valley Arts, while serving on the board of Lane Arts Council.