Join Bay Area artist Stephanie Metz for a tale of transformation through making, sharing, and touching sculpture. Metz will present an online artist talk about InTouch, her innovative large-scale touchable fiber sculpture installation that debuted last January, just weeks before the COVID shutdown. 

Metz is known by many for her wool and felt creations that tantalize the imagination and the senses. In earlier bodies of work, however, audience engagement focused primarily on sight. InTouch marks an entirely new direction: beyond increasing the scale of her work (with human-sized objects in some cases), Metz envisioned objects designed to be touched. And through this tactile exchange, visitors’ interactions with the pieces actually complete the installations. 

Stephanie Metz will take you on a journey through her practice for a behind-the-scenes look at the creation and public reception of InTouch. Through slide images and lively descriptions she will present her innovative approaches to creating multiple, large-scale felted wool and stitched industrial felt sculptures. She’ll talk about the human connections forged through engaging community volunteers to needle felt in her studio and inviting museum audiences to touch the sculpture. She’ll also address the trickster aspect of a much-anticipated interactive exhibition closing early due to a worldwide pandemic, and speculate on what’s next for her work.

A question and answer period will follow a one-hour talk. Tickets with suggested donation.