“House and Home” Exhibit Opens The A.R. Ebel Gallery opened during dedication weekend with an exhibit titled “House and Home.” Artists and faculty Shin-hee Chin and Derek Hamm displayed original works as well as a collection of items for the first installment in the space. “When we prepared the opening exhibit, we began to see the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts as the house of worship and the home for arts at Tabor College,” Chin said. In addition to the uses of the space, Chin said the exhibit explores the different meanings of the words house and home. “The notion of home emphasized much more than the notion of a house because of its psychological significance to individuals and its cultural meaning,” Chin said. “While to live in a house is to occupy, to live in a home is to dwell.” Chin created new fabric art from recycled cross-stitch pieces she found at regional thrift stores. “Though they might be under-appreciated or abandoned now by those who inherited them from mothers and grandmothers, I found those craft
items could be used as meaningful and valuable resources for art making,” Chin said. “I decided to utilize them in the context of house and home. And I consider these works as a collaboration with unknown women who spent numerous hours and days on making cross-stitches.” The concept was explored not only by the two artists, but also by Tabor staff and Hillsboro community members. Hamm collected objects from individuals and families that represent “home.” Contributors offered a wide variety of artifacts representing everyday objects and family heirlooms. Each piece was accompanied by a brief explanation of the choice. Aleen Ratzlaff, professor of communications, offered a tablecloth. “Thankfully, the apartment in which I live is a place of peace and solace to which I choose to invite friends and family,” Ratzlaff wrote in her explanation. “It gives me much joy hosting others, especially when sharing a home-cooked meal and meaningful conversation. This nostalgic tablecloth from the 1950s, a housewarming gift from a dear friend when I moved two years ago, represents the authentic hospitality I hope to share with others in my home.”
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