Personal Artwork

Dried Flower Stationery

I’ve recently begun drying flowers either grown in my yard or foraged. I use them in stationery wax seals and framed artworks. Each flower has meaning, and I’ve enjoyed spending time and intention with each bloom as I press and arrange them.

I am open to commissions for framed press flower art, real flower wax seals, or other botanically-based ideas!

The Language of Critique

This piece used the pages of one copy of The Critique Handbook to criticize the act of critiquing itself. Before I was diagnosed with ADHD I felt unknown frustration by colleagues waisting time by saying lots of words that mean nothing. Whether from fear or learned politeness, I found myself frustrated by the lack of useful information provided when people talk in circles. Say what you mean. There are way to be kind, and helpful by being direct. But without direct language the entire act of critique and peer feedback becomes useless.

By deconstructing the book designed to help people critique I’ve rendered it useless. I chose a skirt shape with texture to show the chaos of meandering words. I created a black and white message, in large scale text for the top. It is bold, direct, and leaves no room for misinterpretation. However, if I were to recreate this piece today I would make sure the belt buckle did not cover or overlap the “say what you mean” text.

Celosia Skirt

I hand drew this pattern, hand printed this fabric, and hand crafted the skirt. I was inspired by the celosia flower, with its soft texture and many many folds.

The winding pattern is mimicked in the gathers of fabric, collected together in the elastic waistband. As the wearer moves, more of the fabric’s pattern is revealed and hidden, and revealed again.

The bottom hem of the skirt is hand sewn with a French seam to follow the irregularity and wiggle of the print.

This skirt was featured in an art show, and a magazine of student work while I attended the University of Michigan Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design.