Los Angeles based Canvas Rebel recently approached WhiteFeather for an interview on learning her craft.

“I come from a craft background, have a masters degree in fine art and entered into biosciences as an artist. My PhD was a research specialization in using bioengineering methods as creative tools. Now I practice “laboratory craft,” which is a technical way of working in a lab to create artworks from biotechnology experiments. Being proficient in both art-making and biotech methods is a somewhat unusual skill set categorized as bio-art, and it isn’t an easy field to enter or maintain a practice in. One of the biggest challenges for me along the way has been an issue of access: from expensive lab materials, to restricted spaces and institutional permissions. When I traded in my studio apron for a lab coat, I underwent dozens of certification processes and this is repeated every time I start work in a new institution. Since I typically have to conduct my experiments in a biosafety lab, especially when working with human materials such as stem cells, there are numerous regulations to adhere to. Artists have a certain material freedom that scientists don’t necessarily have, and as an artist-researcher, I sit somewhere in between.”

You can read the full interview here: https://canvasrebel.com/meet-whitefeather-hunter/