I began weaving in the mid-1990s, but created my first artwork from cutting, piecing, and quilting my hand-woven textiles in 2006. This is a time and labor-intensive process that combines all that I love doing—reflecting, visualizing, designing, assembling, weaving, sewing, embellishing… My work is diversely influenced by weaving traditions such as the Kente cloth by the Ashanti of West Africa and the Mayan textiles of the Americas along with later American artists Anni Albers and Faith Ringgold. My quilted weavings are my interpretations of the lingual into visual imagery. I have several themed series including "Say What?” in response to quotes from my young grandchildren with multiple implications for the viewer, such as metaphor or pun. "Feet of Clay" consists of three-dimensional vessels formed with handwoven textiles and sewn to terracotta clay "feet." I began visualizing these vessels from a sentence in Brennan Manning's book Abba's Child. He described a friend as "an earthen vessel with feet of clay laid hold of his belovedness." My desire is to create each as obviously flawed, yet highly treasured. And my art in "Beyond Words" portray quiet reflections on the truths of Scripture.

The book of Ecclesiastes is included in the Poetry/Wisdom category of the Bible. Upon first reading this book one might find it rather discouraging, even pessimistic. However, the perspective of the Preacher/Teacher candidly describes the emptiness and uselessness of blindly seeking meaning and happiness in worldly things. This artwork reflects chapter 11, verse 6; “Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.” May my imagery of hands, seeds, sprouts and flowers in the bright of day and the dusk of evening remind us how little power and understanding we humans really have. May we, by faith, embrace each new day and each new endeavor as a sacred gift from our Almighty God, knowing the results are in His sovereign hands.

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