Textiles

I began these textile paintings to bring play into my practice, to challenge myself to work non-representationally, to use found materials, to stop buying art supplies and to make something from what I had on hand. Aesthetics, instinct and experimentation guided my decisions. It was important that these pieces develop within the narrow boundaries of using what I already had or could find second hand. Sourcing recycled fabric and wood, dying, composing, sewing, stretching and hand-quilting were the laborious processes that made this work exciting to me. The sensory, tactile qualities of textiles are inviting, kind and sensual; I find it easy to connect physically and emotionally with the medium. The dyes shift and react while the finishing stitching builds up to surprising conclusions. This connects me to my more traditional painting practice.

In this moment of crumbling ecologies, climate change and consumerism, painting is a very simple and primitive way to explore complex and current issues. The action of sourcing recycled fabric and wood and the choice to reuse is a statement of intent, with the objective being low-impact art making. These decisions contribute to how the image reads and what it means.