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An invitation to submit work to a juried show at the Jordan River Arts Council (JRAC) prompted me to complete work on an idea that I have been thinking about executing since 2012. It gave me the motivation to experiment with paper shapes both 2 D and 3 D and merge them into wall mounted reliefs.
The title of the exhibition is Pieced, Layered, & Stitched. It asked for quilted work with an architecturally inspired theme. However, the JRAC, encouraged me to submit my stitched paper work, knowing that I don't usually work with fabric.
I had begun stitching a large sheet of watercolor paper that I had previously perforated into abstract forms. I usually work standing and stitching large sheets of paper suspended from the ceiling. Since I was only concerned with two areas of the sheet of paper, I cut them out and stitched them by hand while manipulating them on my large work table.
Urbanization: The Bloodlust of the Built Environment, 2021
Dimensions: 13.5 in H x 22.5 in W x 2 in D
I had several blank papier mache structures left from my 1997 Structural Diaries series. I cut one in half, removed the base, closed the open back and base and created a paper "skin" for each half that I would cover with the same stitch pattern that was developing on the background shape. I cut away some of the stitching that had been completed on the background and outlined the areas to accept the architectural elements. Once the background was completely stitched, I outlined the form on archival mounting board, cut it out and perforated the mounting board matching the holes on the edge of the stitched background. I stitched the background to the mounting board utilizing those perforations to create an outline. Then I fabricated a foam core support and attached it to the back of the mounting board with loops of archival, self-adhesive, linen hinging tape. Finally I glued the architectural elements in place to the front of the stitched form.
As I was working on the piece, with different tonalities of red and pink thread, I thought of city blocks, subdivisions, buildings and all the blood that was shed in the process, from the initial taking of land from indigenous people, to the wars fought between colonizers and native people, to the restrictive covenants discriminating against people of color and ethnic origin, to the declaration of eminent domain to take homes and land from people for building highways without adequate recompense, to the paving over of masses of land for parking lots…all of which are still ongoing in our white supremacist society. Thus the title became Urbanization: The Bloodlust of the Built Environment.
Wildernization: The Triumph of Overgrowth, 2021
Dimensions: 17 in H x 21 in W x 2 in D
The second piece already had the structures stitched and ready to be glued in place. But the surface stitching had to be completed. I intended to cover the entire surface of the background with stitches. I pushed myself to add different shades of green and tan to allude to vegetation and earth since this piece was the antidote to the first. Whereas Urbanization represented the destruction of people and the natural environment to build cities, Wildernization represented the natural conquest of abandoned cities by vegetation as I personally witnessed in parts of Detroit over the last several decades. We have a tendency to think of ourselves as the most highly developed species on the planet, when in fact we are merely a part of the ecosystem. Were we to disappear, nature would not miss us so much as decompose us and return our components to nurture our fellow inhabitant species. Every gardener knows this to be true.
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