What does the phrase, “trust the Universe,” mean to you? I ask this as someone who just left their stable, part-time job in favor of a newer, more uncertain path for the sake of their dreams of being a writer (among many other passions and pursuits I wished to prioritize). Synchronistically, when I put in my two weeks at my previous job, three new part-time opportunities hit my inbox that just so happen to align with my career dreams and goals in perfect divine timing. It also happened that, because I was leaving my job, I was able to attend the opening reception for the aptly-named art exhibit being held at the Hudson Valley LGBTQ+ Center, Trust the Universe.
On the first floor of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ+ Community Center, located at 300 Wall Street in Kingston, New York, is the Gallery at Apuzzo Hall, a place where the community can come together to be present and connect with diverse, queer art. It serves as a reminder of how diverse queer artists are and how we are all artists at heart. The current art exhibit at the Community Center, Trust the Universe, consists of art by two lovely artists, Scrap Wrenn (they/them) and Jennifer Zackin (she/they). Both of them are accomplished, talented artists bringing innovative ideas to the queer art space here in the Hudson Valley.
Wrenn’s work consists of vivid, larger than life photographic collages with spiritual themes, often created during art residencies at the local Zen Mountain Monastery. They bring an air of enlightenment to their work along with a sense of calm, faith, and trust in the Universe. As a Buddhist artist often working with the Zen Mountain Monastery here in the Catskills, you can see how their spiritual beliefs impact their work. They also worked at the Vermont Studio Center as part of a residency, where they had a mystical breakthrough. In regards to how they see their work, they told me that they believe each of their pieces are an opportunity to observe patterns in that manifestation of reality one is encountering.
The title of the exhibition, Trust the Universe, came from Wrenn themselves. They said that trusting the Universe is to take the opportunity to embrace whatever comes up, no matter how challenging, learn what [they] need to in this life, and that reality is a manifestation that is meeting [them]. This deeply resonated with me, as someone who agrees with this outlook and spiritual belief, that life is just a school and we’re here to heal and learn spiritual lessons.Their works are also a journey of discovery and are open-ended, much like the journey of life itself. Wrenn’s work features colorful images of nature, statues of divine figures, and the occasional structure or building. When I asked them what they would want people to know about their art that they might not know just by looking at it, they said that they take all the photos they collage themselves, which I had no idea that they did until they pointed it out to all of us at the opening reception. That, to me, makes their works all the more special. From the heavenly pictures of sky and statues of Buddha, to the fishes and trees in their collages, they become all the more stunning and meaningful to me, knowing that they painstakingly took every photo themselves to mesh together into beautiful, sacred works of art.
Wrenn also emphasizes hope and care in their works as well as non-duality. When reminiscing on their pieces made during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they expressed their concern that an emphasis on care for others shouldn’t only emerge during a health crisis, which I deeply resonate and agree with as well. They also mention various angles and perspectives, along with twists and turns during one’s path. I can see how this ties into their metaphysical perspectives and how this relates to trusting the Universe as well. To trust that, no matter where you end up, that it’s all for a reason beyond our understanding and that everything happens for your highest good and healing journey while you’re here on this earth.
Zackin’s beautifully woven works bring a similar perspective, especially the works they made during the height of COVID as well. They said that they felt they were “weaving joy” during the height of the pandemic. From 3D woven sculptures to installations, collages, drawings, and paintings, their works embody the performance of life itself. When I asked them what “Trust the Universe” meant to them, they said it’s a philosophy; it’s the process of making their work. It’s very somatic to them and not logical, and that they have to trust the process as they make their work. Additionally, they practice meditation, and their works are considered to be intentionally unfinished and open-ended, much like Wrenn’s projects. While Wrenn works closely with the Zen Mountain Monastery, Zackin has worked in the Hudson Valley and the Sacred Valley of the Inca, Cusco, Peru. Their work has been exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Zachęta National Art Gallery in Warsaw, with commissions from Socrates Sculpture Park and MASS MoCA.
Zackin puts an intentional emphasis on color in their work. Their works are incredibly vivid and, for me, spark joy just to look at them. The woven fibers and vivid colors bring something out in me just looking at their work. It makes me feel colorful inside, which is very synchronistic and well-suited for the queer experience. The aptly-named “Vortex” pieces, drawings of their 3D sculptures on chairs with woven materials feel so perfectly done and are so interesting to look at and think about. Zackin’s work has a deep relation to nature as well, as seen in their Intergalactic Planetary pieces and Soil series.
Meanwhile, The 7 Chairs series feels like it comes from another planet, defying gravity or coming from deep within the sea; one of the pieces looks like it’s actively being knitted by an invisible granny sitting in the chair. Their piece, Winged One, part of their Bird series, also deeply resonated with me, despite not being raised watching Pokémon as a kid. It felt weirdly nostalgic for me, seeing that yellow electric mouse interspersed with the Gujarati fabric from India that they chose, layered on top of the graphic Pokémon fabric. The piece also includes a pre-Columbian symbol of a bird painted on top of the Pokémon fabric. They’re currently working on a project mapping the Sawkill watershed, which had me excited because my dad works for Cornell as part of the watershed education program. The stars truly aligned in many ways for me, including the way I was able to witness this stunning art exhibition and the work these incredible artists bring to the queer community.
This exhibition is on view from September 19 through November 21, 2026. The closing reception is Saturday, November 21, from 4-6pm at the Gallery at Apuzzo Hall; it’s free and open to all as well. The gallery hours are 11am-7pm on Tuesdays-Saturdays and 2-4pm on Sundays. You can see the show for yourself at 300 Wall St, Kingston NY.
This project is also funded by the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Arts Mid-Hudson.
I’m very excited to see what Zackin and Wrenn make next, because I know whatever the both of them make next is going to be innovative, vibrant, and brilliant.
