The Three Graces series happened from a need to find figures to draw from, for my bird woman series. On a visit to the Baltimore Museum of Art, I discovered Dirk de Quade van Ravesteyn ’s “The Three Graces”, dated 1590-1612, and it spoke to me in numerous ways. This was the artwork that  my first piece “The Three Healing Graces” is based on.  The historical symbolism of the three graces varies from a number of positive and uplifting emotions, values and qualities that I wanted for my bird women. 

In “The Healing Three Graces” , I included the bird heads of  the Ruff, the barn owl and the Allen Hummingbird. Each bird represents a quality of joy, beauty and confidence.  “The Fighting Three Graces” uses the heads of , the California Quail , the Northern Flicker and the Eskimo Curlew. These birds represent birds that are literally fighting for their existence due to climate change. I used freehand machine embroidery for the bodies and added hand embroidery for the heads.

The genesis of my bird women can be traced back to the profound impact of Alexander McQueen's exhibition, "Savage Beauty," at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in the summer of 2011. Although the show didn't immediately influence my work, a second viewing at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2015 left an indelible mark, particularly the unforgettable duck wing dress. The incorporation of animal elements in McQueen's creations, including headdresses and dresses, lingered in my thoughts.

The turning point came in 2016 with the advent of the Trump administration, a period marked by a constant barrage of news and a pervasive sense of distrust in the government. Witnessing the erosion of human rights and environmental protections propelled me to seek strength for the fight against what I perceived as an oppressive power. The vision of a bird woman, inspired by McQueen's earlier work, became a symbol of empowerment. I envisioned myself adorned with wings and a helmet, akin to a superwoman, a fighter.

The ensuing rage from this tumultuous period manifested in the creation of my new characters and plants, which now play and interact within the scenes of toile and decor fabrics. To bring these visions to life, I employed a diverse range of materials, selecting fabrics based on their opaqueness and color. From vintage barkcloth to organic cotton to felt, each material contributed to the unique texture and visual richness of the stitched artworks. This series, born out of a period of intense emotion and response to societal challenges, captures the resilience and strength needed to confront adversity.

The "Watch Children" series is a contemporary reinterpretation of contour line drawings that originated from sketches of my high school students during my tenure as an art teacher at a Baltimore County High School spanning over 30 years. These drawings served as the foundation for a series of paintings I created in 2005, marking the final chapter of my painting era before transitioning into the realm of fiber art.

In "Watch Children," I reimagine these teens , now with added bird heads , are now tasked with the responsibility of overseeing vital environmental specimens. The artworks capture their palpable boredom and weariness in the face of this newfound duty. I've experimented with various bird heads, patterned backgrounds, props, and essential seeds and pollinators crucial for our ecosystem's sustenance and the thriving of their avian lives.

Employing freehand machine stitching, I replicate the fluidity of my original ink drawings, infusing each piece with dynamic texture. Diverse fabrics contribute to the works' tactile richness, providing overlays and patterns that enhance the visual complexity of the series. Through "Watch Children," I bridge the past and present, drawing on my teaching experience and artistic evolution to explore themes of environmental stewardship and the interplay between youth and responsibility in the context of our ecosystem.

The exploration of figures in thread has been a central focus of my artistic journey since my inaugural piece, "Girl with Bird," in 2014. To maintain and enhance my drawing skills, I engaged in figure drawing sessions at the Maryland Institute, College of Art. Drawing inspiration from the female figure as a potent means of expression, I naturally transitioned to challenging myself by stitching figures on my sewing machine.

"Lost in Collaboration" marked a pivotal moment for me, feeling like a true homecoming. This piece seamlessly captured the layered approach reminiscent of my painting days. The collaboration between figures, birds, and patterned backgrounds rekindled the essence of my past as a painter. Drawing parallels with my earlier practice of painting wallpaper backgrounds, I translated the layering of line work, color shaping, and playful opaqueness into the realm of fabric and felt.

The two studies of women, inspired by works by Richard Diebenkorn, represent a departure as they incorporate felt into the background for added color depth. This experimentation with felt adds a tactile and visual dimension, further expanding the expressive possibilities within my exploration of figures in thread. The evolution of my work reflects a seamless transition from traditional drawing to the intricacies of stitching, capturing the essence of collaboration and layered narratives.

“Hanging Them Out to Dry, a visceral commentary on the plight of endangered birds. Hung on a clothesline, embroidered vintage napkins evoke a sense of vulnerability, emphasizing the urgent need for conservation efforts to safeguard threatened species from extinction.”- The Academy Art Museum

This piece is an ongoing piece that was installed and documented throughout numerous areas of the Château De Bouthonvillers in Dangeau, France, during my artist residency (Atelier Artist in Residency Program) in October 2023. I also had the opportunity to collaborate with composer Adina Forsberg of Stockholm, Sweden. This first video of my project is the result of this project. It has since been part of the “Subversive Threads” exhibit, first installed at the Westboro Gallery in Augusta, Georgia before its installation at the Academy Art Museum where it currently hangs until March 30, 2025.

In 2017, I expanded my repertoire of sewn bird portraits into a larger family, forming the ancestral figures in my piece titled "The Genealogy of My Imaginary Family." This composition was created specifically for the "Birdland and Anthropocene" exhibit at the Peale Museum, where it filled a prominent display case.

Comprising 13 freehand machine-stitched bird portraits, ranging from 3" to 14" in size, the canvas-stretched circular hooped birds collectively resembled a genealogy tree reflecting diverse human personalities. The selection of native birds, spanning from the familiar to extirpated breeds in Maryland, aimed to evoke a sense of familial connection. The arrangement of these portraits tells a nuanced narrative through subtle expressive reactions and silent dialogue, akin to family portraits.

Each bird portrait was meticulously crafted using freehand machine stitching, a method of manipulating the canvas under the moving needle to draw every mark, value, and detail. The labor-intensive process resulted in line drawings that served as a dedicated homage to the preservation of these avian species.

Since the creation of this piece, my "family" of bird portraits has continued to evolve. The portraits vary in shape and size, from ruff to helmeted guineafowl, and from profiles to full-body representations. The transition from black thread to a spectrum of colors adds depth and vibrancy to the ongoing series. In 2023, I introduced these bird portraits as collaborators within scenes found in toile fabrics, further expanding the narrative and visual richness of my evolving avian family.

Check out the show  here for the Birdland and the Anthropocene catalogue 
  

A series drawings of  plants found in native and planned gardens in the UK as well as the US.  These are my ink drawings from observations that I use for my freehand machine stitched drawings on felt. I started to use these as part of my bird women pieces and pillows, decor pillows, wall pieces and accessories. I am currently working on a new series of accessories ( zipper and eye glass cases) that feature medicinal and symbolic plants and herbs that are beneficial to our planet as well as ourselves. 



 

Covid 19 Mask Project

A series of images that illustrate moments during the height of the Coronavirus. Images are transferred onto cotton then manipulated with hand embroidery.  Each of these have been converted into a mask, which just seems to be the best symbol to represent COVID- 19 in America where the Mask has become as politicized and controversial to our continual divide under the Trump administration.  Since I am talking about social and political current events I have used photographs from various news publications to manipulate. 

My exploration of overlaying lines traces back to the early nineties, inspired by the captivating work of David Salle. Salle's ability to prompt viewers to discover new dialogues within overlaid images and his adept use of juxtaposition left a lasting impact on my artistic sensibilities. During this period, marked by introspection and a quest for my artistic vocabulary, I delved into soul-searching and sought inspiration from childhood textbooks and found imagery.

In my early paintings, I embraced the technique of projecting images, playing with textures, and overlaying images and color. The projected line, in particular, became a meditative and labor-intensive aspect of my work. This technique persisted throughout much of my painting career, allowing me to express complex narratives through the layering of visual elements.

The parallels between my painting and fiber work became apparent as I continued my artistic journey. In my fiber art, I draw on the traced line, overlaying it onto the pattern, and integrating it with the color shapes of fabric and felt. This approach, reminiscent of my earlier painting technique, signifies a seamless transition in my exploration of overlaying lines, demonstrating the enduring influence of David Salle's innovative use of juxtaposition and layered imagery.