‘Sewn Together’ is a mixed-media installation project inspired by personal experiences and research into the history of craft. Many grow up with family traditions and heirlooms passed down for generations. Some pass down recipes; others, furniture or dishware. In my family, craft has remained the heirloom more than any item. Though no one in my family has attended art school before me, nor made a living from their craft, it has remained a connecting tether in my relationship with my family and with myself.

Quickly, I grew to admire the women in my life who’d teach me new things. They were unseen by most, creatives and caregivers who dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to the people in their lives. They did the laundry, the grocery shopping, and the making that was expected of them rather than received with true gratitude.

I aimed to create visual imagery parallel to my research that would bring so-called homely arts into a gallery setting. What happens when you’re looking at an item made and used inside a home, compared to a painting you view from feet away in a museum? Is it because one is curated by a professional? Is it because one is untouchable, thus idealized, and the other is used? If I placed the same items in a gallery context, how would the viewer interact differently?

Amongst many ideas in my early planning phase, I kept coming back to quilting. Fiber arts at large was heavily centered in my research. Its roots are innately feminine, as weaving, fabric dyeing, and embroidery were some of the first outlets for women during whilst they were still considered property. It felt only natural that I use this medium as a jumping-off point.