Intro

Vibrant Fibers, a solo exhibition by Charissa Lucille, explores and celebrates the colorful fibers of paper and cotton. For over 10 years, Charissa expressed their ideas through self-publishing paper zines and running a zine shop called Wasted Ink Zine Distro. At the start of the 2020 pandemic, they taught themselves how to quilt and have released a new quilt series five years in a row. 

Using paper, cotton, ink, watercolor paint, and a variety of tools and machines, Charissa invites you into their colorful world of fiber. See Vibrant Fibers at Five15Arts on Grand Avenue December 5-28, 2025, and learn more at charissalucille.com.

Paper

“I’m truly obsessed with paper. Paper has always been a huge part of my life and I use it constantly in my creative practices. I love the consistency of the sharp folds, the way a stack of warm zines feels in my arms after just being printed, the way pages split when a blade cuts through. I love making paper, how it dries in layers and sometimes crumbles on the edges. Paper has housed my streams of consciousness for decades. Filling hundreds of journals with writings and artwork has helped me stay sane. A blank page welcomes me and I’m honored by the paper that holds my thoughts.”

Cotton

“To help distract myself during the 2020 elections, I taught myself how to quilt to help my anxiety. I picked it up quickly and created quilted panels around numerous topics calling my interest. I made quilted series about self-identity, neurodivergence, grief, capitalism and numerous family projects, too. I love the way my sewing machine soothes me while I sew uniform stitches across my pieced fabric. I welcomed others to submit their artworks in expanded art exhibits that toured throughout the city and I held quilt-along programs to invite strangers to add to my quilt blocks. My artwork practice is as collaborative as the woven strands of cotton fiber.”

Vibrant Fibers exhibit is on display at Five15Arts on Grand Avenue December 5-28.