I stitch and construct to share the stories of my foremothers and myself. Working between ceramics and fiber I generate objects almost suited for domestic space: a quilt that provides no warmth, a pillow that doesn’t comfort. I borrow and digest textiles, wallpaper, gardens and women’s bodies to develop my own alphabet of repetitive marks. Through a personal and political lens I participate in a dialogue with art, craft, and feminism. I advocate for decoration as a medium of power.

 

My recent works include the pairing of large terra-cotta vessels and textile cushions. The soft fiber form intersects the hard roundness of the vase and provides the sculpture a front and back. These pieces are a head on a pillow, a body, but also an image. Historically, flower painting was relegated to women, and patchwork and quilting belonged to craft guilds rather than the gallery. I’m referencing the intimate but also the placement of craft in the history of art by placing my works in the gallery space.

 

The cushions I sew include traditional and experimental modes for constructing with fabric. For example, in Patchwork, mauve upholstery chenille and velour are paired together in repeating star quilt blocks. In Groovy Dresden, I reimagine the Dresden quilt block, which was originally a reference to decorative ceramic plates, with automotive vinyl and straps that snap across the vessel. In my latest, Denim and Posies, I superimpose an expressive bouquet of flowers over a field of denim bowtie quilt blocks.

 

The bare, unglazed terra-cotta surface of my vessels show evidence of my touch. I leave fingermarks when I squeeze and build. The warm earthy terra-cotta provides a compass for color and texture. I include motifs both on the ceramic surface and in the fabric to activate a history of wallpaper, textiles and pottery. These decorative things are intertwined with the experiences of women.