An active artist in Vancouver's early experimental art community, Crista Dahl (known then as Crista Preus)[3] was a member of Intermedia. At the end of Intermedia, she joined Video Inn (now known as VIVO Media Arts Centre), one of the artist-run organization which emerged in Intermedia's wake. In the early days of Video Inn, she participated in the development of the organization's collectively managed screening, production, archiving and domestic space at 261 Powell Street. She was a resident at this location for a time and recounts the collectively shared meals prepared by members of Vancouver's early media art community in an interview with the authors of Anamnesia.[1]
Dahl's interest in pre- and early cultural history informed participatory art projects, which engaged the public (often in schools) in hands-on activities using organic materials and performance.[4][3] Crista Dahl's art and art teaching were supported by educational and arts funding. Committed to alternative education processes and models, she worked for Vancouver Society for Total Education and helped to develop and administer an educational program for under-served youth called Intensive Childcare Resource.[1][5] In 1972 she received, with psychologist Carol Aellen, a grant of $14,040 in federal funding through a program called "Local Initiatives."[3] The funding resulted in a project with hands-on workshops based on the development of human culture, including language, ritual, technologies and time.[3] Over all named the Life Rhythm project (1966 - 1970, 2013), her workshops, performances, and media installation about concepts of time and space, have been presented at Vancouver Art Gallery,[3] Simon Fraser University, Surrey Art Centre, Burnaby Art Gallery[4] and University of British Columbia, among others.[2][3] A retrospective of her art was exhibited at VIVO Media Arts Centre in 2013. It included Life Rhythm as well as drawings, paintings and sculpture. Three performances, Generations, Spiral Brain, and Revolution, were programmed during the exhibition.[2] Archival photographs documenting participants engaged in Life Rhythm activities in the 1970s by Dahl's previous husband, John Preus,[6] were included in Crista Dahl: Life Rhythm a Retrospective.[2]