Artist Statement
Dale Anderson
In one way or another I have been involved with art most of my life. As a youngster I liked to garden, which even to a 7-year-old had its own art aesthetic. Most of my professional career has been spent working with—and advocating for—people with disabilities. During my tenure at a national organization that provided housing and day programs for the developmentally disabled, I started seven art studios not only in Massachusetts but also in Rhode Island, Missouri, Nebraska, and Connecticut. Some of the clients had already expressed an affinity for art; for others it was a solution to a behavioral problem. For all it was exciting to witness the joy and self-esteem our artists felt when their work was first displayed to the public. Now it’s my turn.
I can’t really pinpoint the day many years ago that I began to make things with wire. I do know that one of my major influences was Emery Blagdon. Emery Blagdon (1907-1986) was a Nebraskan outsider artist. Starting in the 1950s until his death he worked on a “healing machine” composed of wire and found and purchased items. After losing multiple family members to cancer, he sought to capture energy emerging from the dirt floor into the air where it could help people heal. While I make my hanging totems with Emery in mind, I can’t claim that I have harnessed any energy, but they make me happy and I hope they will do the same for others.
In my sculpture I start with a preconceived plan and usually end up being inspired by wherever the wire takes me. While wire is typically a malleable medium it can also have a mind of its own. My enjoyment of working with wire is a combination of bending it to my purpose and being inspired by what surprises come my way.
Looking back I realize that I have always been fascinated by art. An early memory of the power of art was watching my mother transform a long hallway into a gallery using art prints that were acquired at our local Jewel grocery store. In all of our houses my wife and I have created similar galleries—albeit with art that didn’t come from a grocery store.