- Jessica Bellamy
52 Letters Week 24


I'm not sure if you remember me.
We talked and shared stories...
Like you, I am Comanche--
and a hybrid...
Unlike you, I was not raised with any knowledge
of my culture.
Something that has always made me feel
displaced.
I am so happy to have met you...
even though it was very brief.
It was so validating...
My life has oscillated between moments of belonging
and being and outsider...
I value your insights and stories...
being raised as Comanche...
how the area you lived in has effected your identity.
The ways you translated the experience
into a visual language
are so engaging
and immersive.
...innocuous imagery
you wove it into a dialogue about
contemporary Native American identity.
...the connections that were overlooked.
Isn't that what we do as artists?
Make the connections others don't see.
It's a very special vocation,
to be an artist.
I sometimes feel we are here to help people
understand the world around them...
using a visual language.
We mirror the hidden secrets of nature
and humanity...
magnify,
and reflect them...
so they can be seen in greater detail.
A pretty romantic view!
But it's honest.
You have a wonderful gift.
I admire you
and the wonderful work you do.