Blanketed ii
Needle felted wool blanket pieces, wool batting
2022
In these devastating times, I have found comfort in working with textiles that have been stored away in my attic for decades. As a fiber artist, these heirlooms speak to me of the past, connecting one generation to another. Giving myself permission to alter and repurpose these precious items is the first difficult, but also liberating step in the creation of each work. The twin size and baby pram blankets used to create this series represent memories and the blanketed comforts of childhood. There is, however, an itchiness to an old wool blanket that leaves one wondering what needs to be different or improved upon. I stacked, and needle-felted blanket squares with circular cut-outs to form vessels referencing layers of sedimentary rock, the passage of time, and an excavation of the past. The question posed is whether we choose to bury ourselves in the imperfect comfort of the past, or do we dig down and explore, in order to understand the present, and work towards a better future?
2022
In these devastating times, I have found comfort in working with textiles that have been stored away in my attic for decades. As a fiber artist, these heirlooms speak to me of the past, connecting one generation to another. Giving myself permission to alter and repurpose these precious items is the first difficult, but also liberating step in the creation of each work. The twin size and baby pram blankets used to create this series represent memories and the blanketed comforts of childhood. There is, however, an itchiness to an old wool blanket that leaves one wondering what needs to be different or improved upon. I stacked, and needle-felted blanket squares with circular cut-outs to form vessels referencing layers of sedimentary rock, the passage of time, and an excavation of the past. The question posed is whether we choose to bury ourselves in the imperfect comfort of the past, or do we dig down and explore, in order to understand the present, and work towards a better future?