"In, Under, Through and Out"

Poems and paintings by Evelyn J. Mahrt, Piqua

This collection of poems and paintings by Piqua resident Evelyn Mahrt presented some challenges for inclusion in the Art of Recovery exhibit. Collected into a ring binder are 55 paintings and 52 poems that chronicle her "resurrection from depression" from the late '90s. The fragile nature of the original works in the binder - and the fact these are the only existing copies - made impossible the unattended public display as a complete work. We could have pulled select pieces, mounted and framed them, but that would diminish the full depth of the body as a whole. Our solution is this - an electronic gallery of poems and paintings. They are presented in sequence, reflecting both chronology and personal growth through a difficult period. The poems are typed and in many cases annotated. Presenting them as images preserves the organic nature of Evelyn's creative process. All poems and images are copyrighted by the artist and are displayed here with her permission. Any flaws in the images - focus, glare, distortion - are the fault of the photographer.