Of the Earth

Appalachia, the New England coast, my own "neighborhood" on the Floyd's Fork Watershed in the Ohio Valley are the environments that inspire my work. In their original states, these are "Sacred Places", powerful spots where it is possible to sense a spiritual presence. In my work, I portray not only the beauty I perceive at each location but try to recognize and honor the restoration and revitalization that is taking place.

Harbor of Refuge

36″W X 12″H Hemp – hand dyed appliquéd and stitched. “Harbor of Refuge” is my effort to visualize the calm and safety that refreshes those who routinely “go out” on our behalf. Detail image

Sense of Place

24″W X 15″ Hemp – hand dyed appliquéd and stitched. Sun, storm, dunes, rocks, surf and tidal pools, these are the “small things”, the sacred places, where sea and land meet, where we encounter the might and power of the ocean. It is our “devotion to the small things”, in the words of Paul Klee, […]

Farm Seeds

Hemp and vintage fabrics; hand dyed, appliquéd and stitched. Using an old seed bag alongside images generated by printing leaves from an apple tree, this piece carries the message of gratitude embodied in the Vietnamese saying.

Heirloom Corn

15″ X 15″Hemp and Silk – hand dyed, screen printed, stitched and embellished with actual seeds This piece is one of a series that honors heritage seeds. The digital image on the seed packet is from an actual vintage packet dating back to the late 1800’s. The text in the background lists a variety of […]

Heirloom Tomato

Heirloom Pea

A Home Cooked Meal

28″W X 42″H Hemp fabric plus natural fiber cords – hand dyed, screened, painted and stitched. The imagery and stitching in “Home Cooked Meal” lays before us the ultimate blessing of good agriculture – a meal shared. The texts are reproduced from handwritten family recipes I collected from friends, some of them in the hand […]

Abundance

28″W X 42″H Hemp fabric plus natural fiber cords – hand dyed, screened, painted and stitched. The imagery and stitching in “Abundance” illustrates the rich and varied harvest yield on a healthy, well managed farm. The text is a reproduction of Wendell Berry’s poem “Grace.” Detail image

Factory Farm

28″W X 42″H Hemp fabric plus natural fiber cords – hand dyed, screened, painted and stitched. The imagery and stitching in “Factory Farm” portrays the crowded and toxic environments encountered on corporate farms. The single egg implies the difference between mass production and sound farm practice. The text is from a journal written between 1860 […]

Family Farm

28″W X 42″H Hemp fabric plus natural fiber cords – hand dyed, screened, painted and stitched. The imagery and stitching in “Family Farm” suggests the variety of crops needed to maintain a healthy field, while the roots suggest a family laying down its roots in the earth. The text is from a journal written between […]

Pollination Frenzy

28″W X 42″H Hemp fabric plus natural fiber cords – hand dyed, screened, painted and stitched. The imagery and stitching in “Pollination Frenzy” conveys the natural methods of seed delivery – dropping from seed head and carried on winds or wings or feet, resting in the ground and taking root. The text is from a […]

To Market, To Market

28″W X 42″H Hemp fabric plus natural fiber cords – hand dyed, screened, painted and stitched. The imagery and stitching in “To Market To Market” demonstrates a sampling of foods available from the farm . The texts are reproduced from photos I took at a local farmer’s market, reminding us that everything we eat is […]

Waiting, Floyd’s Fork

Cotton and Linen, hand dyed, printed, stitched 46″h x 25″w In eastern Jefferson County (Louisville) Kentucky, Floyd’s Fork is a single, large tributary to the Salt River which runs into the Ohio, the Mississippi and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. With significant public and private support, it is being restored and made accessible to the […]

On the March, Floyd’s Fork

Linen, hand dyed, printed, stitched 43″h x 23″w In eastern Jefferson County (Louisville) Kentucky, Floyd’s Fork is a single, large tributary to the Salt River which runs into the Ohio, the Mississippi and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. With significant public and private support, it is being restored and made accessible to the using public. […]

Goldenrod, Floyd’s Fork

Bamboo, hand dyed, printed, stitched 46″h x 25″w In eastern Jefferson County (Louisville) Kentucky, Floyd’s Fork is a single, large tributary to the Salt River which runs into the Ohio, the Mississippi and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. With significant public and private support, it is being restored and made accessible to the using public. […]

Early Settlers, Floyd’s Fork

Cotton, hand dyed, printed, stitched, embellished with an old wedding ring 44″h x 23″w In eastern Jefferson County (Louisville) Kentucky, Floyd’s Fork is a single, large tributary to the Salt River which runs into the Ohio, the Mississippi and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. With significant public and private support, it is being restored and […]

Water Dance, Floyd’s Fork

Cotton, hand dyed, printed, stitched 46″h x 26.5″w In eastern Jefferson County (Louisville) Kentucky, Floyd’s Fork is a single, large tributary to the Salt River which runs into the Ohio, the Mississippi and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. With significant public and private support, it is being restored and made accessible to the using public. […]

Wildflowers, Floyd’s Fork

Bamboo, hand dyed, printed, stitched 47″h x 25″w In eastern Jefferson County (Louisville) Kentucky, Floyd’s Fork is a single, large tributary to the Salt River which runs into the Ohio, the Mississippi and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. With significant public and private support, it is being restored and made accessible to the using public. […]