Two Holden artists are currently featured in a competitive seven-person exhibit at ArtsWorcester, 44 Portland St., Worcester.

Every spring, the art gallery (thanks to an anonymous donor) opens submissions to award a handful of grants to pay for the cost of materials associated with an exhibit. Artists have approximately 18 months to work on their creations. 

This year, two Holden residents were chosen to participate in the exhibition.

Work from "The Disabled List: Sports jerseys of athletes whose careers were cut short by injuries or illness" by Dominic Quagliozzi

 Dominic Quagliozzi is a multidisciplinary artist and arts educator. His work reconciles his lived experience with chronic illness and disability to explore personal histories and the domestication of illness. His Material Needs Grant supported The Disabled List, a series of sports jerseys honoring athletes whose careers were cut short by illness or injury.

Drawing on his upbringing in Worcester — receiving cystic fibrosis care at UMass Hospital and loving sports he couldn’t fully play — he connects to the games through art. The series reflects his memories of local sports heroes and the conversations around ability and health. His website can be found at artistdominic.com.

Alana Garrigues is an intuitive artist and writer who creates work heavily focused on nature and environmental justice. She is particularly drawn to trees. This Material Needs Grant supported a new body of work exploring roots. As the woods around her were cut down and root systems cleared during the period of this grant, her project expanded and shifted focus. 

What was meant to be an artistic exploration of three-dimensional depictions of roots and root systems in celebration of forests became a space to mourn, reflect, and activate the community. The work features three- dimensional pieces created with live roots, as well as huggable tree roots made of canvas, and a cloth book called Root:Bound, reflecting on the experience. Her website can be found at alanagarrigues.com.

The exhibit at ArtsWorcester will run through October 19. For more information about ArtsWorcester, go to  [email protected].

Wachusett Free Press welcomes submissions from the community as we can’t be everywhere at once. Please send your submissions to [email protected] for consideration. Submissions will run at the discretion of the publisher and staff based on content, space and timeliness.