Visual Art
The idea of interaction – between an artwork and the viewer, and between my hands and the materials I’m working with – has always been a foundational element in my practice.
01.
This series features hand-embroidered reproductions of mass-produced wood products such as plywood, oriented strand board, and faux wood paneling. The wood materials referenced—highly engineered, processed, and far removed from their origins—function less as natural materials and more as imitations of nature. By rendering them in thread, I create replicas of replicas: textile simulations of industrial materials that themselves simulate nature.
Each small hand-embroidered work invites close inspection, drawing the viewer in to examine the intricate stitches and the time-intensive labor behind them. Though they mimic standardized, mass-produced surfaces, these works are one-of-a-kind, emphasizing the contrast between handmade and manufactured. I position craft—and the physical interaction between my body and the materials—as a means of restoring value, attention, and a sense of authenticity to objects devalued through modern, industrial processes.
“Untitled (Oriented Strand Board)”
Handsewn embroidery on cotton
4 7/8” x 4 3/4” x 3/8”
“Untitled (Oriented Strand Board)”, detail
“Untitled (Plywood)”
Handsewn embroidery on cotton
6 1/2” x 5 7/8” x 5/8”
“Untitled (Plywood)”, detail
02.
This piece features a wood and glass display case containing a pillow. Sewn onto the pillowcase are small beads forming a letter written in Braille.
The work explores the inherent complexities of communication and human connection. Though the desire to express and be understood is universal, the act of communication is often fraught with misinterpretation, distance, and loss.
The pillow and letter evoke intimacy, softness, and vulnerability—symbols of personal expression and closeness. Yet the glass case intervenes, turning a tactile language into something inaccessible and untouchable. This barrier denies the viewer access to the message, underscoring the contradictions between expression and understanding, and the fragile boundaries between connection and isolation.
“Untitled”
Handsewn beading, pillowcase, pillow, wood and glass display case
28” x 42” x 19”
“Untitled”, detail
03.
The display case contains twelve tiny, hand-sculpted porcelain forms—each less than ¾” long—depicting hands signing letters from the American Sign Language alphabet. At the wrist, each hand merges into the sculpted roots of a tooth.
These hybrid forms reference sensory organs central to communication—hands and mouths—now dislocated and recontextualized. Their surreal combination suggests both the potential and failure of language. Sign language and teeth are both instruments of expression, yet here they are fused in a way that renders them unusable, trapped within a sealed case.
The work reflects on the fragility and complexity of human communication. Expression is always subject to distortion, misinterpretation, or loss—especially when mediated through systems, symbols, or physical limitations. By isolating these body parts and encasing them, the piece underscores the contradictions between our need to connect and the persistent barriers that disrupt understanding.
“Untitled”
Hand-sculpted porcelain, cloth, wood and glass display case
19” x 55” x 13 1/4”
“Untitled”, detail
