From neon, to sequins, to cowgirls flipping through the air, I create loud, maximalist works from the feminine perspective, that demand to take up space in a patriarchal society. With an emphasis on textile mediums like screen printing and weaving, I aim to take a traditional material or style and transform it into something entirely new, edgy, and unexpected. What originally sparked my interest in textile mediums was their history as “women’s work” and how they have always been a medium women used to express themselves, especially with techniques like quilting, embroidery, and garment construction. As far back as the 18th century, embroidery was a key part of the limited education accessible to women. The embroidery samplers created by these women are often “ all that remains to testify to the otherwise unrecorded lives of their makers” (Peck). Later in history similar techniques were used to support the movement for women’s suffrage. Juxtaposing ideas of delicacy and femininity with bold colors and calls to action, my work echoes the era of women’s suffrage and maintains its relevance in the world today where women continue to fight for their long awaited seat at the table.

My current series includes 3 large-scale mixed media pieces that combine painting, embroidery, weaving, and embellishment. The collage-esque compositions feature different representations of femininity and rebellion, featuring embroidered text with quotes pulled from lyrics by female artists and a quote from the novel Gone Girl. One of the pieces also features a larger than life red tulle veil extending down onto the floor off of the canvas with embroidered text that reads “I don’t need the laws of man to tell me what I ought to do”, and another features patterned pieces of canvas woven together that extend asymmetrically down to the floor.

Along with the wall pieces, I created a series of garments that are informed by the paintings and inspired by the idea of uncomfortable womenswear. Several of these pieces are made from alternative materials, like soda can tabs, that highlight both the issues of comfortability in womenswear and traditionally “feminine” silhouettes, as well as the prevalence of synthetic materials in the textile industry that account for the vast majority of garments created. This material also provides a stark contrast to the tulle that is used throughout the canvas piece