Artist Statement
I am a textile artist influenced by sci-fi and horror media, particularly cosmic horror stories by H.P. Lovecraft, Frank Belknap Long, and Algernon Blackwood. These narratives, depicting individuals alone in the wilderness encountering indescribable supernatural entities, serve as poignant analogies for mental health struggles, reflecting the shame, denial, and confusion that can lead to isolation. Since 2020, my creatures have evolved into tree-like forms with limbs resembling human hands, often concealing hidden sewn messages. These forms continue to explore fear, anxiety, and uncertainty while inviting viewers to engage with ambiguity in tactile, immersive ways.
I create elaborately sewn textiles featuring ambiguous, non-human figures that engage audiences through hidden sewn messages that allow them to touch and explore the work. Creating tactial work allows me to make my own fear, anxiety, and uncertainty approachable. I think of my work as mental illness avatars of friendly doomsday creatures that act as physical manifestations of the ambiguity of mental health struggles. My work transforms Southern craft traditions like quilting and textile manipulation into spaces that invite curiosity and reflection, helping viewers confront feelings they might otherwise avoid.
I use plush, quilted textiles, and manipulated fabrics to craft intuitive, comforting textures, evoking stuffed animals, heirloom quilts, and other familiar objects. These forms draw on depictions of otherness from Lovecraftian cosmic horror and ghost or alien abduction stories to actual hallucinatory experiences exploring the ambiguity within ourselves and the world around us.
