Our May Exhibit: Thin Place
- Ashley
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
New month, new exhibit! This show has actually been in the works for a while. Emily first met Megan Bigelow at the Holiday Arts Festival in Waterloo last November and was immediately drawn to her work. Megan was exhibiting in a booth next to her mom, Lisa Glaser (who sells work in our Galleria), and the conversation about a future show at the Charles City Arts Center started right there.
Fast forward a few months, and Thin Place is installed!
The exhibit flows in chronological order, so as you move through the gallery you're following Megan's creative process in the series.
Her work is intentionally hazy and out of focus. She lets herself fall into a disconnected, almost meditative state where everything slows down, distractions fade out, and she manually adjusts the focus of her camera to capture each image just right.
When I talked with her, she said people often ask what the subject is in each piece. But for her, it’s not really about that. It’s about how the composition, lighting, and color come together to create a feeling. Actually, there are times she doesn't even remember what the original subject was - just the feeling and memory tied to that moment when the image was captured. Her work is about memory and emotion - not documentation.
Why "Thin Place?"
The title was inspired by the book series Crescent City! Megan came across the phrase "thin place" while reading, and it resonated with her and the artwork she was creating.
A "thin place" is an experience of stillness, quiet, and reflection. It's a shift in being, where you feel a little less connected to the physical world and become aware of your own presence on a deeper plane.
That idea felt really aligned with what she was experiencing while creating this series—and ultimately became the title of the exhibit.
Artist Statement
I found a place within myself where the veil was thinner, where time stopped and obligation ceased to exist. From that hazy, thin place came snapshots of a small, quiet time in my life colored by my troubles and joy. These memories tell my story.
Opening Night
We hosted the opening reception on Friday, May 1st from 5–7pm. As always, it was free and open to the public, with complimentary refreshments provided. There was a mix of new faces, returning friends, and Megan’s family there supporting her.
To everyone who showed up—thank you! We’re always grateful for those who take the time to come out and support our artists.
Megan spent time talking with visitors about her work and process. A lot of those conversations came back to the same idea—letting go of trying to figure out what you’re seeing and instead just sitting with how it feels.
I really enjoyed experiencing the work as a whole. There’s a subtle shift as you move through the gallery in its intended flow—the tones and lighting move from bright and vivid to softer, darker moments, and then back into light again. It creates a really interesting rhythm.
The entire collection is beautiful, but my favorite is definitely Memory XII. I’m naturally drawn to vivid color, so this one immediately pulled me in. The way the light moves through the color—paired with that grainy, hazy texture—gives it a really immersive feel. It doesn’t feel still; it feels like something you’re moving through.
Stop In
If you missed the opening reception, Thin Place will be on display through May 30th at the Charles City Arts Center. I highly recommend stopping in to see it!
P.S. Megan (and her mom, Lisa Glaser) are planning to exhibit at Art-a-Fest this year, so you’ll have another chance to catch her work in Charles City later this summer.