Clatsop Community College’s Royal Nebeker Art Gallery will present “Thanatopsis: Contemplations on Death, Grief, and Renewal,” a month-long exhibition featuring artists and practicing end-of-life doulas Emma Lewis Acker, Marne Lucas and Dardinelle Troen. The exhibition will be on view September 21 through October 22, 2026.
Through collage, assemblage, sculpture, photography and collaborative altars, “Thanatopsis” invites visitors to reflect on mortality, grief, remembrance and the possibility of renewal. The artists’ individual bodies of work consider impermanence and transformation while creating space for honest emotions and community connection around experiences that are often difficult to discuss.
An artist reception will be held Thursday, October 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Royal Nebeker Art Gallery. The exhibiting artists will be present, and the reception is free and open to the public.
The gallery will also host an End-of-Life Doula and Artist Panel Talk from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. Emma Lewis Acker, Marne Lucas, Colesie Tharp and Dardinelle Troen will participate in the conversation, moderated by Jo Brickman. All participants are practicing end-of-life doulas.
The panelists will discuss their relationships with end-of-life care, their connections as artists and doulas, and the artistic processes and materials used in their work. A question-and-answer session will follow the discussion.
An end-of-life doula, sometimes called a death doula, provides non-medical emotional, spiritual and practical support to people who are dying and to their loved ones. Doulas may offer grief support, assist with legacy projects, provide education about the dying process and help families consider burial and memorial plans. The artists bring this shared commitment to caregiving and advocacy into their creative practices.
Acker, based in Brooklyn, New York, creates hybrid works incorporating elements of collage, painting and textiles. Her pieces are made from salvaged industrial paper that she paints, tears and reassembles into hand-stitched arrangements of color and pattern. Her work reflects a meditative practice informed by accompanying people through profound transitions.
Portland artist Lucas uses black-and-white infrared thermal video and photography to explore the body, mortality and the invisible energy of human life. Her “Transmundane” series allows viewers to witness heat signatures that are normally unseen, offering a visual reflection on the temporary nature of physical existence and the transformations that occur at the end of life.
Astoria artist Troen creates sculptural assemblages using materials including bone, biochar, red ochre, ceramics, glass and handmade plant cordage. Her work examines humanity’s interdependence with the Earth and considers what people leave behind through their actions, relationships and care for the natural world.
In conjunction with the gallery exhibition, visitors will have an opportunity to participate in an interactive “Altar and Ritual Spaces” installation created by Tharp. The collaborative altar will be available Sept. 22 through Oct. 22 in the second-floor lobby of Columbia Hall on the CCC Lexington Campus.
Using recycled materials, Tharp will create a symbolic space that members of the public may add to and rework throughout the exhibition. All materials will be provided, and participants are also invited to bring small photographs or mementos honoring loved ones who have died. The installation incorporates remembrance, creativity, play and joy as parts of grief, healing and community connection.
Astoria Visual Arts is partnering with the Royal Nebeker Art Gallery to present additional workshops and public programs related to “Thanatopsis.” The programs will encourage connection through discussion and creativity as community members contemplate end-of-life care, mortality, grief, loss and healing. The collaborative altar will also be presented at Astoria Visual Arts Oct. 16–17.
Programs at the Royal Nebeker Art Gallery and Astoria Visual Arts are funded in part by Oregon Humanities with support from Meyer Memorial Trust. All events are free and open to the public.
The Royal Nebeker Art Gallery is located at Clatsop Community College, 1799 Lexington Ave. in Astoria. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weekend visits are available by appointment only. The gallery is ADA accessible.
For more information, contact Kristin Shauck at kshauck@clatsopcc.edu.
