River bank, River current
An abstract exploration of river current and bank elevation.
Mixed thread, Indigo dyed cotton on organic cotton jersey.
Water, rivers, lakes….are often used in teaching metaphors within my meditation tradition. So, there is a teaching embedded here in the threadwork:
“Look back at your mind….If you can see the river, you’re out of the river. If you see the river, it doesn’t matter what kind of river it is: dirty river, clear river, turbulent or calm river. But if you fall in the river, you should have a calm river, nice temperature, clear river. You don’t want to fall into a dirty river.” ~ Mingyur Rinpoche
Circa 2015-2016.
Duckweed on current
An abstract exploration of duckweed and commonmeal on the Mississippi River current, adapted from my photographs.
Mixed thread on hand dyed organic cotton jersey.
Circa 2015-16
Proper Motivation
Detail.
Indigo dyed organic cotton jersey appliqué, and machine sewing thread on upcycled jean denim.
An exploration based on my Rochig drawing series. Here I began actively exploring what I refer to as a “suture stitch,” an irregular crossing of two or more stitches. This stitch is not a proper medical suture stitch, but its’ informal cross hatch reminded me of medical stitches, and became emblematic of moving through a healing process.
Circa 2015
Proper Motivation
Indigo dyed organic cotton jersey appliqué, and machine sewing thread on upcycled jean denim.
An exploration based on my Rochig drawing series. Here I began actively exploring what I refer to as a “suture stitch,” an irregular crossing of two or more stitches. This stitch is not a proper medical suture stitch, but its’ informal cross hatch reminded me of medical stitches, and became emblematic of moving through a healing process.
Circa 2015
Counting
field experiment ii.
kantha style sewing on indigo shibori indigo dyed vintage table linen.
2015
Neighboring Prairie
field experiment iv.
variegated sewing thread on upcycled denim.
There is a prairie next to my parcel that has been fully restored over the past 20 years. It is an inspiration to me. In the autumn of 2015, I would walk the road along the ridge and the autumn light—which is so perfect, distinctive—glinted over the neighbor’s prairie with an angelic grace. The denim is likely off cut from jeans I wore on one of those walks.
field experiments
These informal works represent experiments from 2015-2016. The guidelines were to:
1) use materials I had on hand,
2) capture a meaningful moment in my days,
3) to stitch impromptu, without an applied pattern or guide
4) explore the use of small stitches with thin thread
These guidelines were to help me move out of beliefs that I developed from sewing practices earlier in my life. In my youth, clothes sewing required carefully cut patterns, and sewing machines. As a bookbinder, my handsewing often involved carefully measured holes and designs, with a thicker thread.
In these exercises I wanted to explore the scale of thread to cloth weave, and how that expressed the image/pattern. These exercises were not about being refined or successful, but rather, curiosity and wonder.