Artist Statement

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A feature of humanity is to communicate for the purpose of action. Through words and language we seek safety, find meaning, and build relationships as a way to move forward. My art practice has long focused on the other ways, beyond words, that we use communication to reflect. Through materials, I seek to make meaning in ways I have found words too narrow to achieve. Materials are my language. In layers of watercolor, stitches on top of silk, or tufts of wool, my aim is to use dynamic processes to champion the multihued parts of humanity in the service of reflection. When identifying the categories of my training---whether it be as a painter, fiber artist or art therapist---I have found a home in the material intelligence my practice offers as I communicate the themes I’m reflecting on.

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To develop an artifact for UNDERSHORE, I began by finding a material language for the text. Kelly's work used generous sensory language, and I knew there needed to be a space for each tactile experience to be felt and seen. Creating a textile book felt like an answer to that need: highlighting individual poems' materialities while creating a necessary immersion into UNDERSHORE's world. My process dedicated time to finding a palette, deciding which materials needed manipulation and which did not, and considering my impressions of the poems. I wanted to create a sense of time and its role within grief. I attempted to describe that time as it occurs---unpredictably, tiredly, shockingly. UNDERSHORE invited me into another world and this book offered me a place to stay a while.

 

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