Lydia Wickham is a BFA candidate at the Columbus College of Art & Design. She lives in Circleville and works in Columbus, OH. Wickham has exhibited nationally, including VIVID at d’Art Center in Norfolk, VA; Transparency at Union Street Gallery in Chicago Heights, IL; and Carla: The Essence of Love and Joy at All People Arts in Columbus, OH. Wickham received third Best of Show at the 2024 Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Competition (Amateur Division). In 2025, Wickham held a solo exhibition at 934 Gallery in Columbus, OH, and has a piece traveling with Art Possible Ohio’s Accessible Expressions 2025 exhibition.

Statement

My work looks at the invisible forces influencing our experiences and connections; to each other, nature, and what lies beyond immediate sight. Living with chronic, unseen conditions has led me to question reality in a way that confronts the tension between what I feel and what others can see. I tend to focus on moments of transformation where distinctions between what is seen and unseen become indistinct. Just as sublimation transitions matter without an intermediate state, perception, and emotion can instantly metamorphose, influenced by energies that may impact us before we perceive them.
Through bold colors, tactile materials, and light, I provoke curiosity and challenge viewers to perceive things differently. My work balances fragility and resilience by repurposing materials often associated with femininity or decoration, transforming them into powerful tools for expression and discovery. Material transparency, reflections, and shifting perspectives mirror the continuous growth and change in how we see ourselves and the world around us.
My creative process involves building layers, using vibrant colors, and exploring the relationships between materials, light, and shadow based on instinct and feeling. Through embroidery, weaving, acrylic, neon vinyl, and reflective surfaces, I craft dynamic environments where perception is fluid, inviting viewers to reassess. Essentially, my work connects past and present, self and nature, the visible and invisible, while capturing fleeting moments where the hidden becomes unmistakably revealed.