Artists exhibit work at Purdue

By Kyle Boggs
Staff Writer

This is not your ordinary art exhibit. Stereotypically, a showing of art may exhibit many paintings. However, this is not the case for Purdue's latest showing.

Craig Martin, the new director for Purdue’s art galleries, is excited to promote the works of Lisa Lee Peterson, an associate professor of art and design, and those of her husband, Skif Peterson in the Stewart Center West Lobby.

Lisa and Skif have been together for the past 18 years creating art. Their works in the Stewart Center are entitled "Virtual Hands."

The Purdue Memorial Union Gallery is also showing pre-Columbian textiles and objects from the Purdue University collections made by South American Indians in a show entitled "Indigenous Hands."

"The textiles show highly advanced skills in all known weaving techniques and represent the timeless beauty of individual craftsmanship," said Martin

The process in which Lisa and Skif's collaborations are produced is an interesting one, and couldn’t be more different from that of the pre-Colombian textiles.

Skif, a photographer, takes pictures and subtly develops them on a computer. After the desired features are enhanced on the computer, Lisa then takes the information from the computer and transports it to a computerized loom. The loom creates a tightly woven textile that, in many ways, looks better than the original picture.

Because the pieces are woven out of cloth, the shades of color on the image looks a bit different from different vantage points.

The two are also showing pieces they have completed individually.

Lisa is showing a few works she wove by hand instead of using the computerized loom. She said these hand-woven pieces take much longer to make, but enjoys doing this because she can add various things such as feathers and small weavings within the one she is creating. She can also add sparkle and texture.

Her favorite works are her hand-woven pieces that resemble sheet music.

Skif's original work shows off his skills with the computer. He takes one image or picture and distorts it, breaks it up or adds to it. He often prints out his works in a creative "checkerboard" style that is often hard to walk away from.

Martin said he marvels at the fact that Lisa and Skif can combine technology with printmaking and weaving then come up with works of art that are as beautiful as they are.

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