Artist Statement

The medium of tapestry weaving allows me to create images and cloth at the same time. The tactile experience of working with fiber, along with the depth of color and richness of the woven surface excites and drives me. I find the process of creating cloth and image satisfying as it ties me to my past and my Grandmother who taught me to sew at an early age. She instilled in me, a love of creating with my hands and an appreciation for good cloth.

When I am designing a tapestry of a person from history, be it recent or not, I spend time reading about them, getting to know what I can. I trust that subconsciously some of what I learn comes through to the tapestry. This may show in color, design, size or composition. I sometimes begin working with lots of elements and boil things down to what I see as essential to get my point across. I am of the less is more, school of thought when it comes to imagery. Once I have my composition I begin choosing colors, an important element to my work. Texture, a more subtle element is also considered. This I achieve with my choice of yarn, as I sample on the loom. At this point scale is also a consideration. I prefer working larger than life because I appreciate the impact the more imposing size has. I have sometimes woven a design twice, once larger, once smaller to explore the possibilities of scale. There is something to be said about smaller more intimate pieces that draw an individual in to see the detail, as opposed to the impact of the large, two very different experiences. In the end my goal is to leave the viewer with a question.

Artist Bio

I began weaving in 1994. In 2003 I took my first tapestry workshops including study with Jean Pierre Larochette and Yael Lurie. In 2005 I studied tapestry with Pat Taylor at West Dean College in England for an intensive six week program. I have the good fortune to have been working under the tutelage of Archie Brennan and Susan Martin-Maffei (www.brennan-maffei.com) since 2003. This is a rare opportunity to study with two people who understand tapestry from both a historical and contemporary context, with the skill to impart their knowledge. I am a member of The Wednesday Group, a group of actively exhibiting tapestry artists which includes Archie and Susan. We have the unique opportunity to work and exhibit together as a group, and have collaborated on several group pieces www.wedsgroup.com, one of which is published in Carol Russell’s revised Tapestry Handbook.

Awards I have received include first place at the Blue Ridge Hand Weaving Show, (decorative, non-functional) the HGA award for excellence in Weaving and Best in Show at Creative Strands in 2003 and a finalist for a NICHE reward in 2009.

Over the last five years I have exhibited extensively the US as well as in England and Australia. I have studied costume and textile conservation in The Fashion Institute of Technology Graduate Program and previously I attended the New York School for Interior Design. I am the head of the Costume and Textile Department at the Pascack Historical Museum in New Jersey where I get to indulge in my other passion, historical costume and textiles.