Individual Artist Project

This body of work I intend to create is driven by my need to connect with my community. Anthropologist Tim Engold writes, ?to throw out a line is to tangle in another.? I view the paths we take in life as a series of lines, from the paths we walk and the spaces we occupy and interact with. Moving through the world these lines cross over one another and begin that tangling. Duluth is a tight-knit community and I aim to document how our lives interact with one another. I intend for this body of work to document individual self-portraits of people and their households juxtaposed within the larger context of the Duluth community portrait. Documenting how we are all connected and tangled together by our geography. Much like the history of a patchwork quilt that uses scraps of fabric from a household, each holding its own history. This project will patchwork members from the community together, placing them in the larger context of their community where they see their stories reflected through their own donated textiles. This body of work will culminate with an exhibition. In the gallery will be a space specifically designed for people to sit and gather, encouraged to use it as a meeting space while the show is up. I will host a workshop on fabric collaging teaching how to upcycle clothing and repurpose textiles into works of art. Skills I have successfully taught in youth and adult community education classes before. This workshop is free and open to all ages of the public. ; The goal of this project is to engage with my community through a collective body of work. I aim to engage with a variety of people across the community that will donate their textile goods to this project to create a network of interwoven lives. These sculptural abstract textile pieces will document the lives of those who participated in the Twin Ports community. This work will be photographed and documented throughout the process, and the photos taken will be added to my website and portfolio. I will use this work to bolster my portfolio and apply to additional exhibition opportunities in the future. In addition, I will host a fabric collage workshop at the Prove Gallery during the exhibition. With this project, I hope to foster connections with people by investigating textiles and seeing the ways they connect us. I have sustained a creative practice through commitment to my materials, exploration of ideas, research, and the ability to manage my time effectively. My work ethic is driven by the need to create and engage in a studio practice that connects with others. I understand the importance of balancing a studio practice with managing the logistics as I have worked in many capacities in the arts - as an artist and educator. Due to this experience, I have proven successful in my ability to facilitate exhibitions and organize community workshops in relation to the body of work I make. This is documented in my exhibition record, my experience teaching fiber arts at the Duluth Art Institute, and the awards I've received for my artistic and academic rigor. I am confident in my ability as a maker to develop this body of work and in my capacity to creatively engage with the community in multiple ways throughout developing and exhibiting this work. ; I will measure my goals through quantitative and qualitative means. The number of participants will be documented, I intend to have 100 people donate materials. With staff at the Prove, I will document how many people visit the gallery. Success will be over 200 people visiting and participating in the events (workshop, reception, and exhibition) surrounding the body of work. In addition, success will be having a series of high-quality photographic images of the work in a gallery which result in me updating my portfolio/website. A harder component to measure will be the ways in which the work sparks thought and conversation among those who visit the show. My intention with Interlaced Lines is to create community-centered work along with a space in the gallery purposely designed for people to gather, sit, relax, and connect. I hope to witness this happening in real time over the duration of the exhibition and engage in thoughtful conversations myself with members of my community.