"Multitudes" - About The Collection
My studio practice is informed by time spent being present within a landscape. Absorbing color, texture, sound and movement, I pull from this personally collected archive to translate with my media. Growing up and living in the southeast, my work thus far has explored its ample lakes and coastlines, lush forests and rolling mountains.
The desert terrain is one that was unknown to me, and has remained high on my wishlist of places to experience for quite awhile. So in early May, my boyfriend Will and I set off across the country with Utah as our main destination. After three weeks of hiking desert trails, exploring National Parks and camping on secluded terrain, I am happy to say the southwest landscape did not disappoint.
There’s an immensity to canyons and red rock formations that’s almost difficult to comprehend. Sitting at great altitudes and looking out at grand stretches of rugged land, it’s humbling and awe-inspiring. Among the spectacle of arches and towering pinnacles that rightfully demand your attention, there are the smaller details that reach each of your senses, compiling to create a terrain that truly feels like its own separate world.
Running my hands along rugged canyon walls, I learned new grooves and edges. Feeling the intensity of the wind, I marveled at its uneven gusts stirring movement into solitude. I observed the shifts of color throughout each day. Light dancing on sandstone. Stark shadows placing emphasis on raw heights and textures. The warmth of the sun, the chill of wading through brisk river waters. Among it all, there’s an energy that pulses. It’s rough and chalky, but also soft and welcoming. By the end of most days, my body was coated in a red dust and my mind full of fresh images. I sat in a worn camp chair every night, each time in a different spot. Rugged and secluded, the land stretched out with space to absorb new information.
“Arches” and “Sandstone”
Thread & Mixed Media, 12”x12” each
“Sandstone”
Thread & Mixed Media, 12”x12”
Both within this desert terrain and back in my studio, a line from Walt Whitman’s poem “Song of Myself” kept coming to mind. “I am large, I contain multitudes.”
“Multitudes” can be defined as the “state of being many.” There is an immense amount of layers and elements that physically result in these grand formations. Sandstone is unique in that it is “strong enough to support the weight of large natural arches, yet soft enough to be easily eroded by the natural processes of wind, water, and gravity.” I love this quality of being many things at once. What we find in nature can so often be found within ourselves - You can be soft, and you can be strong.
“And I Was A Cartographer”
Thread & Mixed Media, 30”x60”
Bryce Canyon National Park
“Multitudes, No. 1”
Thread & Mixed Media, 24”x18”
“Multitudes, No.1-3”
Thread & Mixed Media, 24”x18” each
Each strand of thread wrapped upon my panel is a soft, delicate fiber. Pulled tight to form a horizontal line, it is also structured and strong - becoming a guide that directs your eye and your attention. The threads compile to pull your eyes to specific points within the painting. Just as a horizon line draws your eye to a natural center, and just as the rugged edges of canyons pull your eye to ledges and peaks.
Within each painting, you can find movement and fresh discovery. You can find also rest and the abundance of nature’s seclusion. There is room for both, intentionally. A landscape can contain many things, and affect us in many ways. We fill open spaces with our memories, and leave them with a gained sense of wonder and fulfillment. This collection, “Multitudes”, is a reflection on the desert landscape - from its physical qualities to its less tangible, emotional impact.
“Anywhere With You”
Thread & Mixed Media, 30”x30”
“And I Was A Cartographer”
Thread & Mixed Media, 30”x60”
The Narrows in Zion Canyon
Detail “Grand Heights”
Thread & Mixed Media, 48”x36”
“Grand Heights”
Thread & Mixed Media, 48”x36”
Secluded camp spot outside of Zion National Park
“Setting Sun, Gratitude”
Thread & Mixed Media, 36”x36”
Detail “Setting Sun, Gratitude”
Thread & Mixed Media, 36”x36”
“Multitudes” a collection
of original thread & mixed paintings
Available now to collect