Great Odds Celebrate Create Passion

Featurng work by:

Serene Serblusek

Janae Holladay

Oepening:

Friday, September 5th

5pm-9pm

Make.Shift Art Space

306 flora st

98225

Janae Holladay lives a joyful and beautiful life. She has a heart full of artistic

expression. A sensitivity to color. For example, it is remarkable how her paintings

may capture the vibrancy of a sunset on flying birds. She finds inspiration from

her trail walks and nature. As she looks she soaks in visual snap shots of what she

sees. When she returns to her art space she listens to opera music while she

creates. This blending of music with mental images results in unique art pieces.

Enjoy stepping into the creative mind of Janae Holladay.

Serene Serblusek

I’m a 22-year-old artist from Bellingham, working primarily in pen and ink, pencil, and occasional

watercolor. I’ve been drawing since I was nine years old, and my fascination with unicorns

began in middle school and has only deepened with time. Far from the rainbow-washed

versions often seen in modern media, I explore the rich, complex history of unicorns—sacred

animals that have appeared across cultures for thousands of years.

My inspiration comes from medieval tapestries, historical texts, and scientific illustrations. I’m

particularly drawn to the unicorns of the Middle Ages, where they symbolized purity, strength,

and love. These creatures were believed to be so wild and dignified that they could only be

captured by a maiden and were often depicted as untamable, noble beings. I aim to restore that

sense of reverence in my art.

Through detailed line work and careful research, I portray unicorns with dignity, strength, and

sometimes even a sense of melancholy. Whether referencing Persian seals from the Indus

Valley or Leonardo’s anatomical sketches, my work invites viewers to look beyond the

commercialized image of the unicorn and appreciate its deeper cultural and symbolic meaning.

My goal is to teach others about the unicorn’s long, global history—revealing its place not just in

fantasy, but in human imagination and belief systems across time.