When I walk my dog I think about how he is right next to me but in a different world. Sniffing, learning through his nose as I take it in by eyes and ears.  As humans we believe we share the same world but we each experience it differently. You see green, I see chartreuse.  If we don’t even see the same color in the same way, how then do we communicate and know that the message sent was the one received? I highlight the gaps in communication by creating unreadable messages. Using outmoded ways of writing (Gregg Shorthand, Morse Code) and creating indecipherable rune-like stitches (Markings series), I emphasize that a message is in front of our eyes, but since we cannot read it communication is lost. Even if the message can be read, the way you interpret it is different from the way I do.

 

From the first felt I made, the material seemed familiar.  I can’t quite explain why (past life, perhaps?) but everything in the making of it feels like a cherished moment. The smell of wet wool, the way the fibers connect together under my hands, each step in the process is a joy. Many of my artworks emphasize felt’s unique properties, from embedding items like yarns and fabrics to cutting into it to expose inner layers. The top color can be affected by the colors underneath as the fibers intertwine both horizontally and, uniquely to felt, vertically. While I do know how to manipulate the sheep’s fibers, the wool itself affects the final results. An amazing material that continues to invite exploration.