"Change and growth are achieved step by step, or stitch by stitch." Annika Wade - April's Featured Gallery Artist
Annika Wade's Stitches
This exhibit is FREE to the public and will be displayed during business hours at the Innovation Hub until April 25th.
Artist Statement
I am a painter by trade and a conceptual artist at heart. In recent years I have been exploring ways to enhance my figurative work via different mediums, and adding fiber was the first logical choice. I address ideas of breaking cycles and healing by taking crochet – a craft passed down by my grandmother – and redefining its purpose from functional to conceptual. In my practice, I use crochet as a tool to provoke curiosity and encourage reflection of heavy subject matter. As a medium, crochet requires a patient hand to create work one stitch at a time, and cannot be mechanically produced. Similarly, change and growth are achieved step by step, or stitch by stitch. These processes inherently weave together the concepts addressed in my work, and I hope to create representation and relatability for silenced narratives and inspire people to start their own journey of growth.
About Annika Wade
Annika Wade received her BFA from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and has been active as a painter, recently exploring different mediums in her work. She currently lives in Little Rock, Arkansas where she owns and operates her home studio. A recipient of 2023’s artLAUNCH Grant, Wade was also a selected member of the Artist INC 2024 Cohort and has been featured in various exhibitions, including a group show in the Trinity Gallery at the Historic Arkansas Museum. She currently works at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts while building her portfolio to apply for graduate school.
