People can now see the “EXTRAordinary” exhibit created by art majors Hanna Aist and Lindsey Chamberlain at the third floor art gallery in Bell Memorial Union. They both used different materials when creating their pieces but kept the same overall theme for the exhibit.
What does the art exhibit “Extra Ordinary” resemble or mean to you both?
Hanna: It is collaborative in idea, if that makes sense. We both are BFA (bachelor of fine arts) students here and working on our own bodies of work. We found this kind of common thread in our work that we thought is worth exploring. And that is looking at repetitions. Looking at small, daily.
Lindsey: Small parts making up a larger whole. So for my pieces on the sculptures, it would be smaller pieces made in a repetitive motion, and then gathered together. And then for Hanna’s, it would be small actions throughout the day that make up a larger day, week, month, year.
How long did it take you both to complete the whole exhibit?
Lindsey: We started working last semester with ideas and kind of talking things through, deciding about how much work we should each make.
Hanna: It was about four months. There was lots of planning and preparation.
What are some of the art mediums used here?
Hanna: Mine are all oil paints on canvas. All of the paintings are my pieces.
Lindsey: Mine are all found prints, and I collected them and repurposed them to make sculptures. And I used thread, glue and wire.
You said found prints?
Lindsey: Yeah, a lot of them were not mine. I found them in the trash in our studio and then cut them up and folded them and stuff like that to make these objects.
Who are some of your favorite artists?
Hanna: I would have to say the big three for me are Paula Rego, who is a Portuguese artist, Andrew Wyeth and always Cat Horowitz.
Lindsey: I’ve been researching Tara Donovan a lot, who is a sculptor. My emphasis is in print making, so I’ve really enjoyed a lot of Matthew Barnes prints. And Crystal Wagner is someone I’ve been reading about as well.
How long have you both been creating art?
Hanna: I took my first drawing class when I was 14 at Venture Community College. So it’s been about a decade of drawing classes and such.
Lindsey: I think probably in seventh grade in junior high I started taking art classes, but before that I would draw and rearrange furniture and stack things.
Hanna: I would say when it started to be more of a fine arts emphasis was high school. I’ve always been a maker of things whether sewing or breaking into my dad’s tool shed to steal a hammer and nails to make structures.
Tom Sundgren can be reached at [email protected] or @tomsundgren on Twitter.
