memories from a dissident daughter

August 2019:  Okay, this one has some interesting U-turns. I decided I wanted to make a V-shape shawl from 4” pin loom squares rather than my 7’ tri-loom (which has major portability issues). So, I did all the math and made all the 126 squares required to make this shawl. Then I graded each and every square of the 126 into the different shades of gray from almost black to almost white (each square

U-Turn: Got an invitation from a former student to put a piece of mine in an exhibit she’s curating in KYOTO, JAPAN!!!! OH, MY GOSH!!! REALLY!!??!!

The piece that I had so far was almost the right size. So, now it’s become an art piece rather than a shawl… Geeze, these things really do have a life of their own. AND the possibility of maybe, maybe GOING to Japan - now THAT would be AMAZING!!!

Each square represents one year of my mother's life.  Slashes represent negative/trauma in her life.  Red flashes represent positive events (from my view) such as marriages, births, etc.  

I am the 'Dissident Daughter' and this is my mother's story.  

Seven years before she passed she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.  The squares slowly disintegrate as she did.  

The blessing in her diagnosis:  My mother and I never got along. We argued often. However, during those last seven years I called her every day at 11am. I could always tell how she was by the tone of her voice. She forgot all the things she didn't like about me and she was always glad to

AWARDS & EXHIBITS:

December 2019: Kyoto International House Exhibit, curated by Soude Doudras. Kyoto, Japan (invited)

February 2021: Foothills Craft Guild, Knoxville, TN (group exhibit)

April 2022: Curative Art Exhibit, Ford Galleries, Marion VA, (invited)

July 2022: Fabric of Memory, The Oak Ridge Art Center, (Handweavers Guild of America, group exhibit)

August 2022: Pulling from the Past,  National C