A Show of Buttons

I work for a small art college here in California, so I have the chance to see some pretty interesting art shows every once in a while. About a month ago, I fell in love with this show by Annie Frykholm titled, Self Sufficiency and Extroversion. Maybe because it involved buttons, TONS of buttons! The artist lined all three sides of the gallery space with three long wooden shelves that were filled with ceramics buttons she crafted by hand. In the center of the space was a suspended net made out of corresponding white ceramics circles. I love the dangling strings. At the art opening people had a chance to have a button sewn onto their wardrobe and then I found out later that the buttons were free for people to have. I grabbed a handful for myself and have yet to decide what to do with them but I have a few ideas brewing in my head. The concept of the show itself was quite interesting and it really struck a cord with me. I strongly encourage you to take a moment and read the artist statement-listed below.

Artist Statement for Self-Sufficiency & Extroversion

"I am interested in the intersection between Ceramic arts and Textiles, with a particular emphasis on my family’s involvement in these crafts. Both require commitment and patience within their processes to garner results. I invested more that six months in the sanding, formation, and construction of the safety net (which is suspended in the middle of the gallery). I began this process with the intention to create an object which would make me self-sufficient. I wanted to create a tool to catch myself when I fell, negating the necessity to rely on others. Through the intensive process, I learned that this is impossible. I needed to ask my community for help, and I would be happier, and better for it. The creation of this project took a turn and came to represent the network of people that care for me, and those that I care for. Societies exist because we work better together rather than apart. My Father made the shelves that the small buttons rest on from wood that once belonged to my great-grandfather. Friends helped me sand the buttons, sew, and kept me company while I crocheted. In response to the assistance that everyone was all too willing to give, I would like to extend this net to encompass everyone. Please choose a button and let it function in some fashion within your life."