Feb. 5–March 2
Reception: Thursday, Feb. 6 | 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
As a contemporary fiber artist, Heather Macali has focused primarily on color, pattern, texture, distortion and memory. Structure & Color examines the psychology of limitations utilizing waffle weave, a 3-dimensional single weave pattern. These works analyze this popular but mundane weave structure within a set of limitations to promote creative and unexpected outcomes.
This research encourages new ways to think about sculptural form using the inherent structure to create dimension within the cloth. Altering the scale, materials, and colors, Macali creates impactful dimensional cloth and sculpture. This work considers color theory, optical blending, architectural components, and inspiration from the genres of op-art and pop art.
Her use of color and pattern arose out of childhood experiences steeped in the material culture of the Midwest in the 1980s and early 1990s. She worked in the fashion industry for four years as a print and pattern designer at Abercrombie & Fitch and La Senza. Macali grew up in Munroe Falls, Ohio, and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in crafts from Kent State University. She continued her art research and development at the University of Wisconsin-Madison receiving her Master of Fine Arts degree in Textiles in 2009. Macali currently resides in Detroit, Michigan, working as a fiber artist and a professor at Wayne State University.
