Handle Series, 2023
Inside Out, Scenic View, Outside In
Monoprint, paper weaving, and recycled materials
The Handle series was titled to be both literal and metaphorical. The artworks are physically able to be held with handles, while the word ‘handle’ mimics the supposed grasp various populations believe we have over the environmental crisis. The purpose of the handles is discussed more in the Hold statement. The three wall pieces each represent a view many people have of the environment- from inside a building or window looking out, through the clutter of road signs, or being outside but still looking in. The view and relationship we often have with the environment is distant, seen only through windows, billboards, or photographs. The paper-weaving in each piece nods to the destruction and rehabilitation of the environment. The paper is cut into strips, becoming extremely fragile, but woven back together into a stronger form. But, the evidence of destruction will always remain present.
Hold Diptych, 2023
Monoprint, recycled bags, yarn, recycled materials, crochet
The two bags in the Hold diptych are recycled, paper bags I attempted to elevate into higher-end, designer bags. The use of handles in the series, whether on a literal bag or on 2D artwork, is a slight call-out of the spectrum of bags that contribute to the environmental crisis. Paper and plastic single-use bags are extreme waste, while high-end bags are often made with limited resources or animal products. The paper bags turned ‘fancy’ mimics both ends of the spectrum. The monoprints used in the bags are from the same series used in the three 2D bags, plus various recycled materials.
