Artist’s Statement

“I’m braiding with a single string - how is this possible?” I thought when I discovered the art of crochet as an 11-year-old.  Exploring the ways interlocking fibers can create shapes, volume, textures, and patterns has been my playground ever since.  Initially, I was inspired by the crafts of my grandmothers.  They could transform ball of yarn into a 3-D item to wear or use.  As I learned new techniques to create fabric with yarn, my fascination with fiber art grew. 

Today, I create fiber art using weaving, knitting, sewing, and needle felting techniques, embracing playful interplay of color and texture from a posture of curiosity.  While I employ a variety of techniques, I specifically enjoy weaving in the American overshot tradition of the 18th and 19th centuries.  Overshot weaving in America finds some of its deepest roots in Appalachia, where rural women engineered complex and precise patterns, full of contrasting colors and interconnected motifs.  I pair the bold geometric patterns achieved through this historical technique with colorful yarns of the modern era.  Through using heritage fiber art techniques with vibrant colors and contrasting textures, I aim to express gratitude to the pioneers on the margins that came before while engaging in playful self-expression. 

Overshot weavers of the past developed their dynamic and bold designs while weaving practical everyday items, such as coverlets. Continuing in their tradition, I often create and embellish practical items, so they can inspire emotion and reflection while also being used. Recently, I have been sewing pillows from handwoven fabric and embellishing them with needle felted and embroidered motifs from real dreams I’ve had.  This exploration of the pillow as a portal to dreams, where one can have creative power over the physical object but not over the dreaming experience itself, engages with themes of agency and surrender.