OPENING RECEPTION | The Inexpressible Contained

Unsent Letter Mailbox and ClearStory Arts present a unique gallery exhibition taking place in January 2026 at ClearStory Arts. Join us at the opening reception Friday, January 2, 2026 from 6pm-8pm. 13 local artists have been selected to collaborate with us in creating original works inspired by anonymous unsent letters collected during a series of mailbox pop-ups across Chattanooga. These letters (unspoken confessions, unshared griefs, or untold truths) will form the raw material for artistic interpretation across multiple mediums. Participating artists selected one or two anonymous letters and have produced an original piece in response to each.

The exhibit, The Inexpressible Contained, explores how letters written in anonymity transcend cultural constraints and linguistic boundaries. Drawing from Maggie Nelson’s reflection that “the inexpressible is (inexpressibly) contained within the expressed,” the show highlights how art enables us to voice what words alone cannot carry.

Participating artists include the below:

Jco Barie, Visual Artist

Rachel LeAnn Veal Craven, Visual Artist/Performer

Lisa Denney, Fiber Artist

Darcie Denton, Visual Artist

Ayda Fisher, Ceramic Artist

Katie Fleet, Visual Artist

Jezmin Garcia, Visual Artist/Journaler

Tim Goldsmith, Visual Artist/Curator

Grace Haley, Visual Artist

Lisa Houser, Mosaicist

Sarah Maginniss, Energy Artist

Anna Wise, Visual Artist

TJ Hanretta & Mary Ahern/Playful Evolving Monsters, Visual Artists

About the Unsent Letter Mailbox

The Unsent Letter Mailbox is a participatory public art project that invites people to anonymously write letters they’ll never send and, in exchange, read one written by someone else. Founded in New York City, it has grown into salons, installations, and collaborations across the U.S., creating spaces of vulnerability, reciprocity, and human connection.

About Clear Story Arts

ClearStory Arts is a Chattanooga-based arts organization and creative community space dedicated to supporting local artists. Through exhibitions, studio spaces, and educational programming, it fosters collaboration and artistic growth across disciplines.

Artist stipends and the exhibition experience funded in part by ArtsBuild.