Interpretations: Dad + Daughter
On display in the South Gallery at the Columbia Art League
August 29 - September 23, 2023
Artist Statement
How might a father and daughter, artists from different generations, living in different communities, and using different mediums co-create a cohesive exhibit that highlights familial commonalities while also honoring distinct and unique artistic styles and choices? Art appreciators are invited to ponder this question as they walk through this exhibit.
Dave Walker and Hannah Smith, father, and daughter artists, have for over a decade been plotting how they might collaborate on an exhibit that would feature their art pieces together in one gallery space. The CAL Interpretations Show, a previous annual exhibit that paired artists and writers and displayed their interpreted works side by side, inspired Dave, a former participant, to consider how a similar show might also work between artists. He shared images with Hannah through email, inviting her to see if there were any pieces that looked similar to hers. They were surprised to find a few that paired nicely but then started to consider how they might push out of their comfort zones to intentionally seek inspiration from each other’s work. They started remotely sharing photos of finished and in-process works that might pair with the other’s work, gathering inspiration and encouragement from each other. They did not seek to replicate the other’s art, but more to capture the essence of each piece whether through size, color, composition, and/or subject.
The first iteration of this show was exhibited at the AC SEMO Gallery in Cape Girardeau, MO in March 2020. The show opened with a lively reception and artist talk and quietly closed within the next few days due to Covid restrictions. The original show featured 40 works, many of which have sold. This show features 18 pieces of art, nine pieces in acrylic and nine in fiber, the original piece hanging on the left and the interpretation piece hanging on the right. Individual pieces are for sale and do not have to be purchased as a set.
Artist Bio
Dave Walker
Dave began his fiber art journey constructing quilt tops and has always felt drawn to the colors, textures, and possibilities of fabric. He felt constricted by patterns designed by others and came up with the idea to use leftover quilting scraps to make landscapes. Over time, the process of cutting up, layering, and piecing fabric scraps evolved into works of art he calls “Fabricscapes”.
Dave uses a “bond and sew” technique of raw edge machine appliqué, textile painting, and threadwork. Each art piece is completed using free-motion sewing that compliments the design and holds the collage together on a muslin backing. All pieces are framed and matted for easy hanging and depict a story of travel, a record of time, or an impression from nature, sometimes real, but often pictured in his memory.
Dave’s “Fabricscapes” have been featured in galleries throughout Missouri and can be found in patrons’ homes from Florida to Alaska.
Dave is a retired Long Term Care Consultant and Nursing Home Administrator. He has a BSE in Art Education from Northeast Missouri State University (now known as Truman State University). He and his wife Julie have three grown children and reside in Columbia, MO. His work is available for purchase at Art off the Trail in Rocheport, MO; Serendipity Salon and Gallery in Columbia MO and Garriot Porter Art Studio in Fulton, MO.
Hannah Smith
Currently based in St Louis, MO, Hannah received a BFA in Painting from Webster University in 2011, and an Art Education Certification from the University of Missouri St. Louis in 2014. Her paintings have been in galleries, art fairs, and private collections ever since.
Hannah enjoys adding vibrant colors and a bit of whimsy to everyday spaces. Nature provides an unending source of inspiration. She starts painting intuitively and abstractly, then works to resolve the image by layering paint and drawing. She appreciates the beauty of flowers and never grows tired of pulling them from abstractions.
Wanting to share her love for creativity with others, in October 2016 Hannah released a coloring book for all ages titled Enchanted Ocean which is available on Amazon, Etsy, and select retailers.
