Growing up the oldest of eight children, Woodie Anderson quickly learned the fun of being messy and the importance of making do—two qualities she holds close in her creative life. From turning worn flowered bed sheets into HankiePankie Art Hankies to conjuring an eight-foot octopus out of pink bubble-wrap and shiny purple polyester elastic-waisted granny-pants-- Her goal as an artist is to capture and reframe life around us, calling attention to details that would otherwise be missed, slowing down time and allowing refocus. It’s messy work, but somebody’s got to do it.
Woodie opened Deftgurl Designs as a way to share her artwork with others. Her prints, mixed-media serigraphs, and three-dimensional fiber works have been described as focused, smart and playful. Often combining print-making, fiber-work and graphic elements with found objects, reclaimed fabrics, collage and stitching, her work explores the areas where cultural identity, gender, personal history and society intersect.