Full Circle
FULL CIRCLE at Cary Memorial Library begins with an 8-foot circular canvas, in the image of an embroidery hoop, that is embellished by library visitors who patch, repurpose clothing, stitch, and add personal items and messages. The hoop was periodically rotated insuring accessibility to all parts of the globe, eventually bringing it Full Circle to completion. The final piece is a powerful rendition of our Earth, using mending as a repair mechanism that awakens human sensitivity to consumption environments - for making new relationships with things rather making new things. Mending regains cultural memory and richness by rebuilding working knowledge of traditional craft as it facilitates increased human well-being, self-esteem and self-efficacy associated with the pleasure of competence. As a symbol of homespun wisdom, caution and thrift, mending stitches reflect an act of care, of preserving and mending relationship.
January 6-February 28, 2020
Social Justice
During Winter Term 2020, the sophomore class of Malden Girls Catholic High School engaged in a social justice curriculum around the cause of their choice. This involved research, volunteering in the community and contributing to an art collaborative stitching installation. Topics of interest included the environment, health & wellness, homelessness/poverty/hunger, human equity and animal cruelty. The students met daily to stitch, connect and share what they were learning from their research. It gave import to the subjects by providing the dedicated time and space to reflect on their ideas and for most this was their first experience using a needle and thread. It is a powerful to feel that you are part of something larger than yourself and this is how it felt for these girls as they contributed to such an impressively massive expression of empathy and justice.
January 2020
Own Your Piece/Peace
As a Visiting Artist to Needham High School I facilitated senior art students in the creation of an interactive collaborative installation.We worked as a team to create an environment that would intitate dialogue, strengthen ties and promote wellness. I facilitated the senior art students as they determined objectives and how to incorporate them with the mission of OYP.
The installation was active in the two weeks leading up to a schoolwide event for the Own Your Peace program. The community was invited to write messages on strips of fabric about how they 'Own Their Piece/Peace'. The fabric strips were then knotted onto a framework.
Community Interactive at Needham High School - Spring 2016
Over and Under
Collaborative weaving event open to campus wide population including students, staff and younger members of the community. The 18x24 foot scaffold weave was designed to be moved to different sites on campus in an effort to mingle isolated communities to work together.
Weaving community at Wheaton College 2013