Sarah Lillegard works in what she calls “second skin.” The Reno artist featured in the latest show at the Office eXhibition Series Gallery has worked in fabrics that explore group identity, belonging and symbols, in garments sometimes called clan jackets, which Lillegard says communicates meaning, cultural legacies and myths.
“Clothing bears the mark of its owner,” Lillegard said. “Over time, the conscious and unconscious moments make themselves known through holes and frayed edges. Through these processes, the garments often become more than passive objects. As much as belonging comes from identifying within a group, it also comes from imbedding personal histories into a greater story line.”
The OXS exhibit “Second Skin” is free at the Nevada Arts Council, 716 N. Carson St., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through April 17.
The artist will talk about her work at a public reception from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, with Lillegard’s talk at 6:15 p.m.
Lillegard is a mixed-media artist whose work draws on the traditions of handcrafts and western icons. She comes from a family of quilters and craftsmen and her process relies heavily on touch. Working in the Reno arts community, she co-founded the Go for Broke Zine Collective and published a DIY Guide to Reno.
Lillegard, the former director of the Holland Project Gallery in Reno, is also a zine maker, writer, curator and graphic designer. Her work has been exhibited throughout the northwest. She was recently awarded a Nevada Arts Council 2015 Artist Fellowship Award in visual arts.
For more information or to purchase her work, go to http://thriveandthicken.com.
Managed by NAC’s Artist Services Program, the Office eXhibition Series Gallery features artists who have been recognized by the agency through its artist fellowships and exhibits from the agency’s Nevada Touring Initiative-Traveling Exhibition Program.