This work symbolizes my journey of self-discovery. I wish to explore the bonds to the people, places, and materials that tie me to my heritage and guide my future. These are the soul ties that I visualize and share.
Using organic and secondhand fibers within my sculptural figures, I focus on color, textured and layered surfaces, and the feel of the materials in my hand. Patterns within my work are chaotic and busy, offering both repetition and order to the viewer. My choice of denim, and indigo-dyed cotton fabric, reflects both the experiences of my recent ancestors working in the Florida cotton industry and my more distant ancestors of West Africa.
The fascination with textiles and fibers comes from my connection with the generations of African American women in my family who were seamstresses, quilt makers, knitters, and who did crochet. Following in their footsteps, I apply historical techniques to these materials to begin a new history, while nurturing a connection to the lives of those distanced by time. This project aims to educate myself, my daughter, and others on the importance of relationships formed between African pasts and the people of the African diaspora today.
These figures show the struggle against powers and principalities throughout three generations of women. My family had to fight the rulers of the darkness of this world while they sought and found countless ways to resist their shackles and develop their communities and cultures. The organic cotton and recycled fibers connected to the figures symbolize the armor of God to withstand the attacks of spiritual wickedness in high places. The female figures speak of the spiritual battle often covered and forgotten but also talk of the resilience of God’s love.
My Daughter and Family
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