On display in the hallway of Central Bank of Boone County in downtown Columbia, Missouri
August 23 - October 13, 2024
Artist Statement
I love the physicality required to create my artwork. I enjoy the process as much or even more than the end result. The physical labor involved with both clay and fiber art gives me a sense of presence within the world. I am conscious of the texture of the rope, the heat of the wood kiln, the silken smoothness of some glazes, or the chalkiness of others – and this awareness gives me both energy and tranquility at the same time. As I work with my hands my mind relaxes and focuses better than if I am still. I find the way both mediums contrast and complement each other inspiring as I combine them.
Each piece in this collection is a study of the principles of design – especially contrast, repetition, balance, proportion, movement, and rhythm. In several pieces I enlarged the focus to a single knot to emphasize what I find fascinating about them: they are so simple and so complex at the same time. In other pieces, I was inspired by nature and the desire to bring order to the world around me.
Artist Bio
Graphic designer and artist Stacia Schaefer has lived in Columbia since attending MU in the late 1980s, where she earned a BA in English and a BFA in Art. She has worked as a graphic designer and communications professional for 30 years. Currently, Schaefer is a Senior Strategic Communications Associate at the State Historical Society of Missouri. Her fiber art has won awards in the Boone County Art Show and can be found for sale at Poppy and Columbia Art League, and on Etsy.
