Wk8 – Artist Conversation – Heather Anacker & Krista Feld

Exhibition Information
Artists: Heather Anacker, Krista Feld
Exhibition: Dwelling
Media: Fiber, Ceramics
Gallery: LBSU School of Art, Gatov Galleries East & West
Website: http://kristafeldartist.blogspot.com/

About the Artist
This exhibition, Dwelling, actually took place in 2013! Dwelling was created by two artists: Heather Anacker and Krista Feld. At the time, these women were pursuing their BFA in Fiber Arts at CSULB. These artists wanted to convey a sense of naturalism in their exhibition while reminding people to take note of the small things in life we might usually take for granted.

Formal Analysis
The pieces of art within this gallery came in a huge spectrum of shapes, sizes, and forms. Some objects, like their collection of herbs and saw dust, were small. Others were large objects such as a hanging loom or a portable room! Nonetheless, each piece of art in the gallery seemed to exude some sort of natural richness to them. This richness can be seen in the texture of soft woven fibers or the texture of smooth glazed bowls. The colors of the art pieces varied but usually carried on with the theme of naturalism. A lot of the objects in the gallery were just the color of basic wood but others had vibrant colors from being dyed and stained with wood dust.

Content Analysis
The entire exhibit had an extremely comforting, homey kind of vibe to it. Being that the exhibit was called Dwelling, all the different pieces within the gallery lived up to that name. From the familiar pots holding food you might find in any home to a soft woven chair you could surround yourself in, this exhibition definitely made me feel at home. Anacker and Feld wanted their audience to recognize that all these different pieces in the gallery could be found in our own homes yet are taken for granted. Only under a spotlight from a gallery could people begin to appreciate all the hard work that goes into producing the materials we use every day.

Synthesis
From visiting their gallery, their idea of actually thinking about where my stuff comes from and what went into making it has resonated with me. I recognize now that I am surrounded by objects that countless people have labored over. The place that I call home is filled with these pieces of art that are both familiar yet unique. This feeling of comfort and naturalism is something that hopefully everyone can relate to and I think that people should try and hang on to that feeling. We have to realize that no matter how mundane they are, these everyday objects help bring beauty and stability to our lives. Because right now, many people still fail to appreciate the little things in life.