Between Here and Somewhere

Have you ever felt the fear of starting something—whether it's a creative project, a work task, or even an act of self-care—because part of you believes it must be perfect to be worth doing? That feeling is perfectionism, a struggle artist Amiah Mims faces daily, and the impetus behind her body of work, Between Here and Somewhere, on display in the Annex Gallery at the Harrison Center through May.

It's easy to get stuck in your head—and for Mims, that can mean feeling creatively blocked by the pressure to decide exactly what to paint before even touching brush to canvas. In her personal life, she values any opportunity to push back against that instinct. Her ongoing commitment to "letting go" of perfectionism has become not only a guiding force for her but the central theme of her show. Pushing through the perfectionist impulse is therapeutic for Mims, as she describes "experiencing the ease and peace that come with creating simply to create—without the pressure."

In this collection, Mims chose to make space for this practice, for letting go of that perfectionist impulse. She "hope[s] it could also offer something healing, grounding, or at least a sense of understanding for the viewer, especially in these chaotic times." As she puts it, her art "gives form to the intangible, and lets [her] explore ideas and emotions that don't always have a clear shape in everyday life."

Between Here and Somewhere is Amiah Mims' beautiful, open, and honest body of work that shows what art can become when perfectionism is replaced by wonder and curiosity. Her show can be viewed anytime in the Annex Gallery through the month of May, Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m, and viewed and purchased on our online gallery through June.