Artists on Resilience: Museum talk July 8
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Meg Kaczyk, pictured with one of her paintings in her book "Notes from Beside the Bed," will discuss creativity and resilience Tuesday, July 8, at the Jefferson Museum of Art + History. Photo courtesy of the Jefferson Museum of Art + History [/caption]
Arts reporting by Beacon staff
PORT TOWNSEND — In a public event next Tuesday, July 8, at the Jefferson Museum of Art + History, two local artists will discuss how art-making helps us move through life.
Meg Kaczyk, a painter, writer and teacher, will read from her vividly illustrated book, “Notes from Next to the Bed: A Caregiving Love Story in Words & Pictures.” She’ll also talk with Martha Worthley, Northwind Art’s Executive Director and an artist with plenty of experience with creativity and resilience.
The doors of the museum at 540 Water St. will open at 6 p.m., and the one-hour talk will start around 6:15 p.m.; since space is limited, attendees must register in advance on the museum website at https://www.jchsmuseum.org/post/artist-talk-meg-kaczyk.
Admission is pay-what-you-wish with a suggested donation of $12. Copies of Kaczyk’s book will be available for purchase and signing.
Kaczyk will also talk about how her art practice has evolved, and she’ll welcome questions from the audience. Her book and her artwork — both personal reflections on love, grief and profound presence — are the subjects of an exhibition at the Jefferson Museum of Art + History. “Notes from Next to the Bed” is on view through Aug. 24; museum hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. With first-Saturday Art Walk this weekend, admission will be free and the museum will stay open from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday, July 5.
In October 2022, as Kaczyk cared for her husband, Joe, in the final months of his life, she turned to daily sketching and writing as a way to process the experience. Using her phone to capture everyday moments, she later transformed the pictures into gouache, graphite, and charcoal sketches — simple, striking pieces.
This practice evolved into a year-long project, culminating in Kaczyk’s 80-page book of paintings and contemplative words. The works in her exhibition range from small, intimate sketches to large-scale oil paintings, each carrying the weight of memory and the warmth of care.
“Writing and painting helped me through the long years and critical months of caregiving," Kaczyk said in a museum press release.
"It is how I honor my grief. And how I emerge. My hope is that sharing this story provides companionship and the warmth of recognition for others in a caregiving role.”
The book and exhibition offer more than just a glimpse into one artist’s personal journey. They’re an invitation to reflect on caregiving as an act of love, as a shared human experience, and a moment of connection between past and present.
More about Kaczyk’s work as an artist and teacher is found on her website, https://artist.megkaczyk.com/. She exhibits her art in galleries around the region and offers classes at various arts centers, including Northwind Art School at Fort Worden State Park.
