Presented in conjuction with The New Children's Museum.
Bio
Jennifer Anderson is a studio furniture maker and designer based in San Diego, California. Jennifer started her education at UC Davis, where she completed her undergraduate degree in Environmental Design. Upon graduating from Davis, she trained as a fine cabinetmaker at the College of the Redwoods studying under master craftsman James Krenov. She then went on to earn her Master of Fine Arts degree from San Diego State University, where she studied under Wendy Maruyama.
Currently, Jennifer divides her time between building speculative and commissioned furniture and teaching Art, Design, and Woodworking courses at a variety of colleges in the San Diego area as well as institutions including Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass, Colorado and The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine. Her furniture is exhibited nationally and internationally and can be seen in publications including Interior Design, American Craft, and Riviera Interiors. In 2008, Jennifer was one of 13 emerging artists nominated as a Searchlight Artist by the American Craft Council and in 2009 the Chipstone Foundation acquired her work for their permanent collection which was displayed at the Milwaukee Art Museum.
Statements
Jennifer Anderson: I am a maker of one-of-a-kind objects living in the 21st century. I am an artist. I am a craftsperson. I am a designer. While my work is multifaceted and constantly flows between disciplines, my focus is always on furniture.
My furniture is rooted in tradition yet fueled by experimentation. I find technology to be both seductive and repulsive. I create functional objects that people live and interact with on a daily basis. These objects not only serve the basic needs of people, but are also the primary vehicles for my self-expression.
My most recent work focuses on translating iconic pieces of furniture into mud. By taking a material that is otherwise thought of as worthless and translating it into highly regarded objects I am asking people to reconsider their relationships with domestic objects.
At the root of this work lies my struggle to feel grounded and connected to the ever-changing and fast-paced world in which we live. The materials I work with are natural and therapeutic. My process is slow, methodical, and often tedious. It is precisely this pace that makes me feel reconnected to the earth. The completed objects stimulate your sense of sight, smell, and touch.
Concentrating on a genre with a long history of tradition creates an extra challenge because it is stereotyped into a specific category. It is specifically these stereotypes that fuel my desire to further the discipline of my field and to break down the stereotypes that categorize the work I make.
From October 13-26, Jennifer Anderson and Chris Flores's container will be on view at Art Produce from 10-5 each day. 3139 University Ave. San Diego, CA 92104. To verify hours or for more information, please contact 619.584.4448.
