2022 Artist Statement
It's been one year since the death of my 27-year old daughter Emily due to complications from her heart transplant and two complete years of living in pandemic times. These events and other personal health circumstances changes the way I create -- for the better. While on the 2021 road of craftivism and visible mending I came along the need to use materials differently than their intent. The disruption of global supply chains made it difficult to purchase art supplies -- which turned into a happy journey of discovery. I began using more worn clothing and household textiles as fabric in my artwork. I used old rusty tools and food scraps to dye fabric creating interesting quilts and wall hangings. The exploration was rejuvenating. Finding myself in our garage, shed, and basement looking for rusty objects became a habit. Hunting in charity shops for blankets, sheets, and drapery for projects developing in my head was exciting. Hand stitching for ten hours a day was enjoyable, like active meditation. 2021 was very structured, teaching online art and art business classes and making a few pieces for art galleries. 2022 is going to be more improvisational starting with the work I created in January and February. I will also be as zero-waste as possible -- that's not new for me, I'm just letting you all know about it. I quite curious to see what happens in a less structured year of making and teaching. I can already see that my artwork has more personal stories to tell.
2021 Artist Statement
2021 began with the death of my 27-year old daughter, Emily. Emily died on January 1st, 2021 as a result of complications from her 2019 heart transplant. I can already see a transformation in my textile artwork directly related to grief, mourning + navigating new trajectory. Emily was a brilliant writer + she will continue to show up in my artwork, as will my son, Evan + my husband, Gary.
Family is the reason for my maker career. I needed work that would afford me the time to drop everything to be in hospital with Emily, or on a school field trip with Evan
+ be portable + meaningful. Family will always be woven into my artwork.
Emily’s fearless writing influences my artwork with words embroidered on upcycled clothing + reclaimed books for button making.
This is Craftivism.
Craft + Activism = Craftivism.
There will always be a “before Emily died” and “after Emily died” divide in my artwork. I see that clearly.
Before Emily died my artwork was influenced by mathematics, nature + history. Knitting a Fibonacci Sequence, crocheting a hyperbolic plane, or designing a fractal weave filled my creative time + energy.
Nature became a huge influence after we bought an off-the-grid cabin in the woods near Algonquin Park in 2010.
History + story in general influences us all whether we are aware of that or not. When I teach art + art business I bring that awareness to the forefront.
“After Emily died” my artwork elevated the importance of craftivism in my work.
As a craftivist, I use quiet, visual protest in creating art pieces with words that teach + invoke thought. Using reclaimed materials + traditional craft applications, I repair clothing with visible mending + thought provoking quotes, words + references. Slow fashion, or the fast fashion rebellion is present in all my wearable, or re-wearable pieces. Framed craftivism art using vintage + upcycled frames + embroidery hoops will be my 2021 + beyond focus. There is beauty in awareness.
Connection.
Connecting the before + after divide is important to me.
As I move forward as an artist, educator, maker + craftivist, I will use “connection” + all its definitions.
I will connect the past to present, thought to action, strength to softness + idea to voice.
Connection will come in many forms including hashtags #
The pandemic moved us all into Zoom + Zoom-esque spaces + classrooms.
When teaching mature art students, I noticed the confusion over using hashtags #
Hashtags # are connections.
I will use hashtags # that connect us + I will teach art students to connect using hashtags #
We are artists because that’s how we communicate with the world.
And communication is more important than ever.
Communication connects us.
Family is the reason for my maker career. I needed work that would afford me the time to drop everything to be in hospital with Emily, or on a school field trip with Evan
+ be portable + meaningful. Family will always be woven into my artwork.
Emily’s fearless writing influences my artwork with words embroidered on upcycled clothing + reclaimed books for button making.
This is Craftivism.
Craft + Activism = Craftivism.
There will always be a “before Emily died” and “after Emily died” divide in my artwork. I see that clearly.
Before Emily died my artwork was influenced by mathematics, nature + history. Knitting a Fibonacci Sequence, crocheting a hyperbolic plane, or designing a fractal weave filled my creative time + energy.
Nature became a huge influence after we bought an off-the-grid cabin in the woods near Algonquin Park in 2010.
History + story in general influences us all whether we are aware of that or not. When I teach art + art business I bring that awareness to the forefront.
“After Emily died” my artwork elevated the importance of craftivism in my work.
As a craftivist, I use quiet, visual protest in creating art pieces with words that teach + invoke thought. Using reclaimed materials + traditional craft applications, I repair clothing with visible mending + thought provoking quotes, words + references. Slow fashion, or the fast fashion rebellion is present in all my wearable, or re-wearable pieces. Framed craftivism art using vintage + upcycled frames + embroidery hoops will be my 2021 + beyond focus. There is beauty in awareness.
Connection.
Connecting the before + after divide is important to me.
As I move forward as an artist, educator, maker + craftivist, I will use “connection” + all its definitions.
I will connect the past to present, thought to action, strength to softness + idea to voice.
Connection will come in many forms including hashtags #
The pandemic moved us all into Zoom + Zoom-esque spaces + classrooms.
When teaching mature art students, I noticed the confusion over using hashtags #
Hashtags # are connections.
I will use hashtags # that connect us + I will teach art students to connect using hashtags #
We are artists because that’s how we communicate with the world.
And communication is more important than ever.
Communication connects us.