Paintings/Sculptures
Top:
Keystone, 2023, terra cotta, 7 ¼ x 6 ½ x 2 ¼ inches
Draping from the wall:
Mirrored path of many returns, 2023, natural dyes made from foraged weeping willow branches, dandelions, alder cones, bark, and oak galls; found and discarded chrysanthemums; collected onion and avocado skins; sourced madder, logwood, marigold, and cochineal, with iron mordant on cotton, silk, linen, and terra cotta pole, 175 x 36 ½ inches
On the table and floor:
Small Acts / Terrestrial Matters, 2023, terra cotta vessels with compost, plates and bowls with dried weeping willow branches and leaves, dandelions, bark, alder cones, oak galls, dried rose petals, and compost. Additional compost and more foraged and collected natural materials were added throughout the exhibition, Dimensions variable
When I started this work, my mind was lingering on the devasting effects of our frayed relationship to the earth with a desire to focus on the ability we have to nurture and give back to it by synching daily actions with the cycles of growth and decay happening throughout the seasons. Working with natural dyes made from collected, foraged, and sourced materials, I pieced together a textile that I've come to think of as a living document tapping into the circular energy surrounding us. Additionally, composting vessels that draw moisture from food scraps and rely on microorganisms to assist in the process of decay are displayed on the textile and a table which mimic the height and feel of a kitchen cart. The vessels, interchangeable when stacked, can be reconfigured into multiple forms that represent another way of building upward with our own hands that isn't dependent on access to land. Working with the symbol of the keystone, a crucial component in architecture on which other building elements are dependent has also helped me to reflect on how we can inhabit a city and an artistic practice with the health and well-being of the soil that supports all of us in mind.