Living Forward In Color: A Painter's Journey of Hope, Healing, and Resilience

November 24, 2025 – March 23, 2026

Uniting medical imagery and personal experience, Jim Elias uses his art practice as a tool for creating meditations on hope, patience and resilience. This exhibition presents two groups of paintings by Elias, creating a dialogue between clinical spaces and natural wonder. These works represent the profound exploration of his cancer treatment journey, using color as a conduit to create spaces where viewers can pause, reflect, and reconnect with what matters most.
Elias writes, “My PCa Journey series transforms the clinical reality of cancer treatment into a visual narrative of hope and resilience. From the stark imagery of "baseline" — where medical scans become a starting point for reclaiming my story through color — to the celebratory energy of "Dance of the Arrested," each piece marks a milestone in this profound journey. The series explores not just the medical experience, but the deeper human story: the waiting, the uncertainty, the moments of grace, and the strength found in community. When I paint, I create moments of stillness and invitation — spaces where viewers can pause and sense something greater than themselves. Through this exhibition, I hope to offer both validation for those on similar journeys and a reminder that even in our most challenging moments, we can choose to live forward in color.”
Jim Elias is a multi-disciplinary artist currently based in Muscatine, Iowa. He studied photography, graphic design and communication at the University of South Dakota, followed by a 25-year career in advertising. Elias is currently a member of the Muscatine County Arts Council and a founding member of the Muscatine Public Art Commission.

Jim Elias, Into the Gardens, 2024, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 24”