“My fine art practice is informed by a concern for the environment, displacement, exile and the return home. I seek the unbroken relationship between modern culture and ancient lands where tradition and story are used to find meaning from dislocation and separation. I work with vulnerable landscapes and waterways which support birds, plants and animals. The migratory bird imagery in this series of artworks is drawn from zoological specimens including the Anhinga, Barred Owl and Trumpeter Swan which are accompanied by various botanical specimens, moths and snakes.” — Emily Arthur

A Soft Place to Land features the work of Olivia Mills in collaboration with fiber farmers in the greater Kansas City area and community focused designer Lasse Elsenburg. This exhibition presents regional stories of our wool economy alongside the tangible manifestations of taking solace in textile tradition. Using wool and plant dye all within a 70 mile radius of the Kansas City metropolitan area, the artistic and functional pieces exhibited showcase the transformative practice of making works from scratch.

Getting dressed was once an agricultural act, but to many the origins of cloth are now mysterious. A Soft Place to Land seeks to rekindle the experience of developing intimate connections to the physical objects around us. By unveiling the thoughtful, commonly hidden process of raw wool becoming woven fabric, and the names of plants used to make color onto cloth, reciprocity between maker and material is shown. Proximity of origin to the raw materials enables local stories of the sheep, farms and people from which the wool comes to be shared. 

The practice of slow making brings delight and detail into the work, contrasting the typical fast and distant relationship we have with the belongings we own. A Soft Place to Land celebrates cultivated materials from the local landscape by intertwining them with one another; creating heirloom pieces of artwork for the home and body. 

Olivia would like to thank Brian and Sharon Hiems of Manna Meadows Alpacas, Caryn Miller, Debbie Buddish of Walking Sweater Farm, Debbie Tindell, R and K Alpacas, Rodger and Penny Minniear of MM Fiber Mill, Ruth Hawkins of Little Hawk Farm and Tom and Amy Gray of Cannington Farms for their generosity in providing wool, stories and integral contributions to this exhibition. Without their support the authenticity of locality and resilience in this show would not be possible.

Olivia Mills | Artist Statement 

My process-led practice is informed by personal engagements with the local landscape. Employing natural fibers and plants I use slow processes such as dyeing, weaving, spinning and stitching to celebrate regionality and craft. Textile tradition and tactile knowledge becomes tangible in my practice through handspun yarn, woven threads, and quilted cloth. 

Taking solace in the process of foraging local materials, I see my works as an act of resistance to the fast paced economy and objects made with planned obsolescence. By collecting materials from my local environment like raw fleece, plant matter, and reclaimed garments, I seek to create thoughtful, functional, and artistic forms that serve as heirloom pieces for the home and body. 

Glass artists from Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma were invited to submit work to Heartland 6. The exhibition includes selected works by: Karina Boatright (NE), Joey Bourdow (KS), Olivia Brummet (NE), Megan Chalifoux (MO), Kate Clements (MO), Olivia Dobkin (MO), Roberta Eichenberg (KS), Genevieve Flynn (MO), Jessica Gorecki (NE), Swede Hickok (MO), Katie Hogan (MO), Cole Kennedy (KS), Sara Sally LaGrand (MO), Sky Maggiore (KS), Jessalyn Mailoa (MO), Taylor Moore (NE), Emily Nickel (OK), Mary Peterson (MO), Audrey Puckett (MO), Nadine Saylor (NE), Olivia Shelton (MO), Lauryl Sidwell (MO), Pamela Sabroso & Alison Siegel (MO), Kale Stewart (KS), Marie Tabler (MO), Kat Weltha (KS), and Evan Wunsch (MO).

This year’s guest jurors were Samatha De Tillio and Leo Tecosky. De Tillio is a contributing editor to GLASS: The UrbanGlass Art Quarterly and museum curator working with institutions including the Corning Museum of Glass, Museum of Art and Design, and Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian National Museum of American Art, among others. Tecosky is a Brooklyn-based glass artist with a BA in Fine Arts from Alfred University and an MFA from the School of Visual Arts. Tecosky’s artwork explores the intersection of cultural and craft traditions with influences from hip-hop and graffiti.

“Best in Show” and “Honorable Mention” works and artists will be recognized at the exhibition’s opening reception on April 5 at 6:30pm.

The idea to host an annual “Heartland” exhibition began at Monarch Glass Studio in 2017. Since 2022 Belger Arts has carried on the tradition.

Part of Me is centered around a discovery of self and an exploration of internal struggles. All too often I find it hard to articulate my true feelings when dealing with intense emotions and experiences, so for this exhibition I decided to address this issue. I chose to use watercolor and charcoal as the mediums to best represent the complexity of this subject matter. The fluidity of watercolor juxtaposed by the rough texture of charcoal is used to draw a parallel to the contrasting thoughts and feelings I experience in an almost cyclical nature. I also chose to experiment with fibers to convey a more tactile investigation of my inner discord. This collection of artwork was created to not only explore and communicate my struggles, but to confront them. I hope that this exhibition inspires others to do the same.

Artist Bio

Joseph Sciacca is an artist living and working in Chicago, IL. He enjoys working with a variety of mediums, but his current focuses are watercolor, charcoal, and experimenting with fibers. Joseph is a passionate creative that enjoys exploring the world, and his interaction with it, through artistic means. Although Joseph has been involved in the arts since a young child, his creativity flourished when attending the University of Kansas in 2015 and then graduating in 2019 with BFA in Visual Arts. Since graduating he has displayed his work in numerous galleries across the Midwest, namely Kansas, Missouri and Illinois. Joseph’s work is ever evolving as his art is a constant reflection of his struggles, triumphs, and everything in-between.

Featured Artists

Sarah Manuel

Kathy Nguyen

Jenny Le

Chaneryna Thach

Sophia (Gaeun) Lee

YeonGyu Kang

Katie Nisha Boyd

The joy I know is not what you see on TV. It isn’t loud or grandiose. The joy I know is oftentimes subtle and quiet, found in places you would never expect. A cluttered and chaotic home is where I found the most comfort. 

Being Asian American is a patchwork identity that everyone weaves into. Though we all come from different backgrounds, cultures, and households, we share a common language in our shared spaces. Rather than ripping apart into smaller pieces, we are able to come together to celebrate and share in a collective warmth. 

When our native tongue fails us, our actions never will. That warmth is felt throughout every meal. I think back to my days after school and being greeted by the sizzle of oil hitting the hot pan as my mother prepares a meal for my sisters and I after a long day. How my mother reserved the meatiest parts of the fish for us and claimed the head for herself because she knew it scared us, stating that’s all she needed. How we would devour hours of cooking in a matter of seconds. Always begging for more and our mother happily complying every time. 

Our comfort doesn’t take the shape of words but rather small gestures and subtle movements. Words are rare within an Asian American household. However, that love and care is very much there. “I love you” are not the words that our families use to show they care. Sometimes, they don’t use words at all. Acts of service, done in a modest silence, in the effort to preserve the home and the family, mean more than three empty syllables. My father buying me three cases of mangoes when I told him they were my favorite. Or purchasing five gallons of orange juice when I wanted just one for a smoothie. I always knew he loved me in excess, even if he could never say it. 

As I grow older, I have learned to adopt these habits from my family and care for others in that same way. In quiet gestures and ever-present love in every interaction. Though I can voice the affection I feel, the tangible gestures still bring me comfort as I comfort others, loving them in the way I was taught. These actions inhabit every space. Amidst the chaos and clutter, it can be found in between the messy drawers of plastic bags and mix-n-match Tupperware. Or perhaps you can hear in between the yelling and laughter of your mother tongue in the other room, made louder in its joy than the fighting of the day and maybe sweetened with the help of alcohol. Nevertheless, I could never imagine replacing it. Our comfort doesn’t need the support of words. To you, our homes are a claustrophobic mess, but to us, it was a place full of memories of survival, resilience, and most importantly, our love for one another.