Mantra (2019), sizes vary from 12″x9″ to 30″x20″, paper sculpture and cross stitch
Mantra (2019) is a series of botanical sculptures and cross-stitched affirmations, inspired by my experiences with gender-based trauma and healing. Two different colors of growth represent a time in my childhood when I split myself in half in order to stay connected with family and survive the world outside my home. My healing journey has been one of moving toward reintegration, of embracing the idea that my two selves can coexist and even be friends.
The cross-stich hoop and embroidery thread are a nod to my heritage. I come from a long line of Midwestern farm women who sewed and quilted. I seek to honor parts of them that live on in me while re-contextualizing parts that no longer serve me.
The affirmations came out of my EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy. These pieces act as sacred, healing meditations while I am designing and sewing them. They are a reimagining of a tool used in the education of my foremothers: the schoolgirl sampler.
Created by Workshop Participants
I facilitated a series of workshops leading up to the show at Art Produce in San Diego.
Workshop 1: Collaborator Carolyn Klusmeier, Registered Associate MFT #100568 (supervised by E. Ruby Tovar-Morin, LMFT at The Soul Care House) presented on trauma, its effects on the body, mind and spirit and current approaches to healing in her field.
Workshops 2-3: I facilitated sewing circles, teaching participants the basics of cross-stitch. Each person had the opportunity to stitch a healing word and simple design. Participants also collaborated on a large paper sculpture. All work created during the workshops was displayed at the culminating show.
