Going back to the roots of time, the latest art exhibit in the state Capitol’s East Gallery is “Roots and Connections,” on display through Sept. 25.
For the pieces, Tulsa’s Jean Ann Fausser uses a combination of fiber art with textiles, embroidery and hand-painted embellishments, in an effort to continue exploring the connection between humankind and nature.
Her work has been compared to that of Georgia O’Keefe, in that both capture the natural beauty of life. Fusing modern techniques like ink-jet printers with traditional techniques like weaving and needlework, Fausser draws inspiration from DNA to the oceans.
“My chief goal with this exhibit is to concentrate on the connection instead of the disconnection,” she said. “I like to use material in unusual ways and use craft materials in ways that are not traditional to produce these images of streams, rivers.”
For “Roots and Connections,” she drew inspiration from National Geographic’s multi-year study, the Genographic Project, in which individuals from all walks of life send in their DNA to be analyzed and compared to man’s migratory history. The goal of the project is to understand humankind connections and differences.
“I got interested in how we all started from one place. How we branched out with normal human interest, but also with the continent shifts,” Fausser said. “The exhibit is thought-provoking in the ways we are connected, particularly in a piece called ‘Migration.’” The gallery is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends. Admission is free. For more information, call 521-2931 or visit arts.ok.gov.
