ABOUT
Lila Ferber is an artist from Omaha, NE. She has received a BFA in Sculpture from the Kansas City Art Institute. She creates abstract oil paintings and carves wood, ice, and stone. She is currently in Portland working on twisty wood sculptures with her chainsaw.
She has exhibited in solo and group shows across the country, including New York, Omaha, Kansas City, Portland, Phoenix, Vermont, and DC. She has worked at the Salem Art Works sculpture park in New York and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in DC. She has also worked on the Imagination Crew at the Omaha Children's Museum, playing with children in the interactive science and art exhibits and assisting the fabrication team.
Artist Statement
My work combines carved biomorphic shapes made of stone, wood, and foam that I stack together into interactive abstract sculptures. Balance is a key element, as each individual piece relies on the others for support in a visually precarious yet structurally sound manner. I intuitively carve tunnels and protrusions to form shapes that comfortably mold to the curvature of my hand, and then scale them in size. I incorporate the organic forms of my small carved sculptures into their bases, often turning asymmetrical wooden supports on the lathe to create points of interaction. All of the playful elements fit together like a puzzle of multiple combinations.
The pace of carving by hand and the tactility involved are important parts of my process. I incorporate different textures, materials, and surface treatments into each sculpture to translate the tactile process to the viewer.
In specific installations, I release my work to an audience as toys they can touch and interact with as a form of play. The audience can explore the multiple surfaces of wood and 3D-printed plastic in a hands-on space. By playing with physical instead of digital forms, participants are encouraged to slow down, experiencing the pace and focus of my carving process, as well as learning for themselves the whimsy of balancing a sculpture.
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I also love being outside and oil painting, and I'm inspired by my travels through different surroundings.