A Look Behind the Current Art Showcases at Idaho State

Within recent weeks, two new art showcases have popped up within the Fine
Arts building at Idaho State University’
Pocatello campus: “Paper Machine” by
Caitlin Harris, and “Music Makers and
Dreamers of Dreams” by Melanie Anderson.
Whether you’ve visited the showcases
already, plan to visit, or just want to get
an inside look, here’s a rundown of the
backgrounds of both the art and the artists behind them.
Caitlin Harris: “Paper Machine”
Q: How long have you been doing art?
A: I got my MFA (Master of Fine Arts) in
2020, but I have been doing art ever since
my work during undergrad, in 2008 or
2009.
Q: What first inspired you to do art?
A: I was really interested in making art
accessible to others. Before I came to grad
school I worked at an art studio in Portland, Oregon that allowed the community to have access to art supplies at a low
cost. I liked the social change aspects of
art and the ability to make a difference.
Q: What is your favorite piece that’s at
the showcase and the meaning behind
it?
A: Lacklust paradox. It’s about core
issues of gender expectations and women’s expression of sexuality. Women are
expected to constantly bring a sweet and
nurturing approach to everything. The
two words on each represent two sides
of a spectrum that all of us as women are
on, but we are only generally accepted if
we show one, the “kinder” half. The compression enacted by the sculpture represents how women are compressed to
conform to one type of standard.
Q: Is this the first time your work has
been showcased?
A: I did get the opportunity to show my
work in galleries at Boise State University in fall 2020. I have also participated in
some other shows throughout the Northwest, but this is my first solo showcase in
which all the art is my own.
I was really excited to have an opportunity like this, since I got my MFA in
2020 during the Covid-19 restrictions, no
one was able to come to my thesis show,
which I put a lot of effort into. I’m excited
that my work can once again be viewed by
a general public audience.
Q: How long does an average piece
take?
A: I work on my art in two stages. The
first is the conception stage, where I create ideas for my art. This usually takes
around a few weeks to a month to process.
The making stage takes a few full days, as
a lot of it involves letterpress printing and
time in the print shop.
For more information on Harris’ background and work, visit her website,
https://www.caitharris.com.
Melanie Anderson: “Music Makers
and Dreamers of Dreams”
Melanie Anderson unfortunately
passed away on June 26th, 2021. Her
work is featured posthumously. The Bengal spoke with her husband, Bryan Anderson, to learn more about her story and
her inspiration.
Q: How long had Melanie been doing
art?
A: Mel had been doing it since her first
year of college, around 1997. I’ve been
doing art since my sophomore year of
college.
Q: What first inspired Melanie to do
art?
A: I’m not entirely sure why Mel got into
it. All I remember is when someone asked
her that same question, her response was
“because I can’t not.” It was part of who
she was. Mel inspired me to get into art
as well. When we came back to school I
started enrolling in art classes with her
for fun, and I realized that I did quite well
with it.
Q: Is this the first time Melanie’s work
has been showcased?
A: Mel had one or two pieces previously
showcased, but this is the first showcase
where it is entirely her own work. Since
she never got her senior show, it’s been
a great sense of accomplishment for me
getting to see something like this.
Q: How long did an average piece
take?
A: Depending on the piece, it sometimes only took a few hours, or sometimes
it could take 50-60 hours throughout the
course of weeks.
Q: What is your favorite piece that’s at
the showcase and the meaning behind it?
A: One of my favorite pieces is an untitled one that she made during a live portrait class. She had trouble seeing depth
perception, so it was a piece that she
struggled with. Her professor allowed her
to use a pre-taken reference for that piece
instead, and it just makes me proud looking at it as I know it was something she
struggled with and overcame