Throughout my work, elements of basic structures are abstracted from architectural forms. Some have components loosely drawn in ink that contrast with the precision of sewn Blackwork patterns surrounding them. Blackwork is a type of counted-stitch embroidery made popular in the 15th and 16th centuries that often decorated sleeves, collars, and ruffs. Based on the grid, these hand stitched designs create networks of geometric stitches that become their own architectural structure with the paper.
The process of hand stitching is a very methodical and determined act, which gives each stitch a sense of intention and purpose. I choose to depict architectural forms using flexible, delicate materials like thread and paper to serve as a metaphor for ideas about strength and weakness. The assumption that these forms are inherently strong and that thread and paper are weak, is a concept I enjoy challenging in both the form and content of the work. Questioning perceptions of what may be strong or weak, reliable, or tenuous in our daily lives is at the heart of the inspiration for this work.
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