River
Sewn 2013
Fabric Assemblage
26" x 32"
$975
River
Woven Wool on Bees Wax Linen
Acrylic on Canvas
25" x 25"
$2,575
Coordinates
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Handmade Coordinates from my where I Live - Northern Michigan
Many of us are always trying to figure out where we belong in this world. Could we be searching for our perfect longitude and latitude? Where do we stand right now? Where are we going? How long will it take us to get to our next destination?
I have gauged my life by how fast I can get from point A to point B. How many spots on the map I have actually visited? What was my average rate that I accomplished getting between point A and point B? Will I ever return to a certain point on the map? Will I ever have this hunger satiated if I don't go to certain points on the planet?
My artwork marks where I am in life right now, right here in Traverse City. My life is not stagnant but a complex weaving of friends and relationships. Some of these relationships are based on thin threads and some are interwoven bits that strengthen my existence here. I continue to sew, patch, and re-sew my maps here --- my autobiographical cartography.
Relooking as I drive through the landscape I see slight deviations in the colors of the vegetation as the seasons change. The undulating hills are cut by roads, water masses, farm land, and urban settings that conspire to create my personal geography.
All my current work illustrates bodies of water in my local area. Waterlines tell us so much about the environment. If it has rained substantially the rivers flood and the water lines change upward. If there is a drought the river water lines diminish. Water and feelings are so similar. If it rains, the land is nourished and the river will be healthy. But if there is a drought or misuse then the river diminishes and may even disappear. If this happens then no life source is available to nourish the surrounding ecosystem. In the case of flood the river runs rampant and destroys the ecosystems it surrounds.
A dear friend shared with me that, “Young rivers are all gentle and they sort of meander along in no big rush. As the path of the river gets older and more established, it gets deeper and straighter so the water moves faster. They basically go from big sweeping leisurely curves to rapids.”