Flow: River Panels

I love maps. I especially love gas station maps. I think about the dots that represent whole towns of people, and their lives. I think about how the roads relate to natural features such as hills, forests and rivers. These panels are meant to represent a standard 8 panel fold out road map, featuring the Hydrological map of Northern Michigan. Though there is no dot to represent me - I am located here.

Flow: Blood/Breath

While the River Panels indicate how I am located within this wonderland of water, this tapestry represents how this region is embedded within me. The very same lakes and river system is depicted inside the area of my lungs. The enclosing shape can be read as “body” or as “Earth”. But, as I wove this, I realized over and over that this image is highly personal and autobiographical. How I am fractured and how I am mended is all here.

Flow: Branches

In the process of developing the ideas for the River Panels and for Blood/Breath, I was thinking endlessly about branching. Veins and arteries branch to bring oxygen and nourishment to all regions of the body. Rivers branch to bring water and nourishment to areas of land. I was taking a walk one day - and suddenly saw tree branches. I mean, really saw them, as if for the first time. Eventually I played with the idea of weaving tree branches, and these are the result of that. I am also interested in the notion that trees communicate with each other, through root systems and possibly other ways. They warn each other of danger. If you look closely enough you’ll see these branches have messages for you.

This year plus body of work will be seen for the first time at the Jordan River Arts Council in East Jordan from October 11 - November 7.