CLOSEUP Butterflyte 40×24”
Rayon, cotton, wool, silk, beads
Tapestry weaving, bead embroidery, coiling, wrapping

There are times that I find myself getting lost when I visit an art gallery - mentally and physically. When I took a visit at the Bucktown Center For The Arts in Davenport, Iowa, I stumbled upon this small gallery by chance. I was out getting lunch with myself when I saw this fascinating hand painted wooden sign that said, "Bucktown'. I began to walk towards the sign when I still had not made a conscious understanding of what was being advertised. The chipping paint and sun bleached wood was good enough for me. 

Butterflyte 40×24”
Rayon, cotton, wool, silk, beads
Tapestry weaving, bead embroidery, coiling, wrapping

Walking into the old building, I lost touch with my senses. I found myself in a new gallery. Ready to experience something magical. The traditional stark white walls were lined with interesting and delicate sculpture paintings. That did not hold my attention terribly long. For I was being summoned to another location in the gallery. As I rounded the corner I felt the old wooden floors creak from under my feet. This place was no indie underground art gallery that I once thought before. 

In the third gallery, I felt a surge of energy as I walked through the door. Soon to be greeted by the curator of this exhibit. She explained the artists work to me and personally walked with me through the gallery. She told a story of a woman who recently visited this show. The curator went on to say how the woman cried joyous tears. For she had beat cancer and was feeling all sorts of energy from the woven tapestries Rowen Schussheim-Anderson created.  

Personally, seeking emotion is not terribly hard to distinguish when looking at a work of art. However, the hand woven tapestries created by Rowen Schussheim-Anderson were something out of this dimension. 

The bright and bold colors demonstrated in her artwork are nothing but loud eccentric voids that energizes the soul. Rowen Schussheim-Anderson produces hand woven tapestries both large and small, wall-mounted and suspended forms. In her recent works, she has incorporated beads and beaded strands into her woven tapestries. This craft has helped create variations of textures and perhaps formless meaning though the weaving. 

Esperanza 66 x 66”
Fiber
Tapestry weaving, stitching

Her study reflects many indigenous culture customs. Cloth in their culture bear historical and religious significance. Something far from our Western Culture. Many indigenous people recognize the power of textiles as clothing for the body and soul. Anderson's tapestries explore the power of textiles as bearers of meaning. 

Anderson has demonstrated the traditional weaving that has been manifested for hundreds of years. Although she continuously pushes past the limits through exploration of new elements. Such as materials, colors, and other inspirations. Through the thick embellishments and rich fabrics are enough to hold meaning and power of messages far from the average viewer. The use of these new textiles are interesting in color and line work. The new elements cast heightened contrast in focused parts of the work. For the beaded accents create an elegant focal point. 



-Erika Barber