“Rowen Schussheim-Anderson: Tapestry College,” through February 25

Exhibit: Through Friday, February 25

Reception: Friday, February 4, 5 – 7 p.m.

St. Ambrose University's Morrissey Gallery, Galvin Fine Arts Center, 2101 Gaines Street, Davenport IA

Vividly colorful works by a Rock Island professor of art will be showcased across the river in Davenport through February 25 in the exhibition Rowen Schussheim-Anderson: Tapestry Collage, with the talents of this longtime Augustana College educator and professional artist on display in St. Ambrose University's Morrissey Gallery.

Having earned her B.F.A. from the Rochester Institute of Technology and her M.F.A. from Arizona State University, Schussheim-Anderson has been pushing the boundaries of traditional tapestry weaving for over two decades. Her studies in New York and Arizona put her in touch with both time-honored fine arts and indigenous craft traditions. Cloth in our culture does not bear historical or religious significance, as with many indigenous peoples; nor do we often recognize the power of textiles as clothing for the body and soul. Schussheim-Anderson’s tapestries consequently explore the power of textiles as bearers of meaning – thick, embellished warps tangled and rich enough to hold the meaning and power of messages.

Schussheim-Anderson produces woven tapestries both large and small, wall-mounted and suspended forms. A recent focus has been incorporating beads and beaded strands into her tapestries, and as an adept student at studying the heart of indigenous weaving traditions, her textile studies have spanned two continents in actuality – and all seven virtually. From the fine-drawn resist lines of Indonesian batik, to the tufted raffia weaves of the Zaire River Basin, to the heights of Guatemala and the woven threads of tie-dyed warp ready for ikat, each tradition and its accompanying colors and techniques have served to inform these contemporary tapestries.

As Schussheim-Anderson states in her Artist Statement at TapestryArt.com, "Some works are inspired by the organic latticework of butterflies, observed in the Amazonian rainforest and African and American butterfly gardens. The beautiful structure and rich color of a butterfly, the contrast of line and lively organic shape, the points and splashes of color – all are calling to me. Butterflies represent progressions found in nature, designs ranging from orderly to fluid, from complex to formal symmetry. Patterns create elegant, lively tension. While grids offer structure, organic grids, like curvilinear labyrinths, impose structure upon the abstract. A recent piece, Crimson Prelude was inspired by a beautiful red, white and black '88' butterfly which rode next me to me for eight hours on a bus window from Cusco, Peru to the rainforest. I combine a variety of materials to push the boundaries of traditional tapestry weaving. Glass, beads, and other reflective materials heighten contrast. The delicacy of the beaded surfaces offer a rich contrast to the textured surfaces and provide an elegant accent and focal point."

A 5 p.m. reception for Rowen Schussheim-Anderson: Tapestry Collage will be held on February 4, and the exhibit itself will be on view through February 25 in the Morrissey Gallery located in St. Ambrose University's Galvin Fine Arts Center. While the venue's regular hours are Mondays through Fridays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the public can currently visit the gallery by appointment only. Admission is free, and more information is available by calling (563)333-6444 and visiting SAU.edu/morrisey.