Tapestry Collection, Spring 2023

I could not be more excited to share my “Tapestry” collection with all of you! This one has been a long time coming, as I started work on this series over six months ago, soon after I launched my “Play” series, and like any good project (in my humble opinion), it has taken me in many, many different fun (and sometimes a little crazy?) directions. Because of that, at first glance, this collection might seem a little random, or even all over the place. My husband said as much as he saw me putting all of the pieces together to photograph- but when it comes to making art, I have never been much of a rule follower, and there are too many mediums and ideas out there to explore (and too little time!) to limit myself to just one for the sake of making things cohesive.

With that being said- I really did put intentional thought into each and every piece in this collection, and (if only in my head!) it belongs here, because, at the risk of sounding very corny, each piece in this collection has brought me a little closer to understanding the kind of artwork I want to make, and why I want to make it. I read a lot of artist interviews, and the interviewer often asks “what do you find inspiration?” It’s a great question, and one I’ve asked myself many times- and for a very long time, I didn’t have a good answer. I am finding though, as I get older, that as things like travel and trips to art museums and gardens can be wonderful sources of inspiration, what I personally am most inspired by is being at home with my family, and the sometimes slow, sometimes boring, and sometimes chaotic routine of everyday life. For this series, that is where I derived my inspiration- the quilt in the guest-room at my in-laws’ where we stayed over Christmas break, the huge teddy bear my mother gave my daughter (after finding him in storage- a gift from my grandma to my sister many years ago), my father-in-law’s unique talent for finding four-leaf-clovers, the pattern from my sister’s 1990s Bitty Baby, the ric-rac trim on a gingham dress I saved up for the summer before my wedding, memories of trips to Baugher’s fruit farm growing up, the flowers spotted and photographed on spring runs, and, of course, the wonderfully small everyday moments of motherhood.

I could go on- but in efforts to keep an already-too-long intro short, in the carousel above, I’ve put together a “scrapbook” that showcases some of the “behind the scenes” sketchbook work for a few of my favorite pieces in this collection. I hope that you like it (I made it for you!)

Artist Statement

I came up with the concept for the “Tapestry” series this past fall while, not so originally, listening to Carole King’s 1971 album of the same name. I grew up listening to King’s music and love the entire album, but especially its title track. The line “My life has been a tapestry/ of rich and royal hue” struck a chord with me because it’s a beautiful way to look at a life and the work created within that space. 

Tapestry, in many ways, is a continuation of my “Play” series, with a focus on folk art, textiles, and most importantly, the personal and handmade aspect of art-making. A friend asked me once if I realized that the things I paint (the picnic basket my husband used to propose to me, pairs of shoes and a dollhouse for my daughter…) will one day become heirlooms. I thought that that was a wonderful compliment and a lovely idea- the idea that I am leaving my artwork as a legacy and my footprint, but also that these things that I am making will take on lives of their own long after they leave my hands, and that they will hopefully develop a patina as they’re loved by future owners. 

So with these ideas in mind, I am excited to share “Tapestry” with you- an eclectic little collection of oddities waiting to become heirlooms. Working on this collection has brought me great joy, and I cannot wait to see where these pieces go! Thank you, as always, for following along with my art-making journey- I like to think that I am only just getting started.