My current body of work expands upon ideas I have explored for many years. Formally trained as a painter, I initially created imagined worlds in which knitted forms appeared as both landscape elements and inhabitants. Over time, these compositions evolved into abstract waterscapes featuring glowing, knitted shapes that functioned as metaphors for memory—those most luminous and visible representing recent or significant memories, while submerged, fading forms suggested those gradually lost to time.
In 2019, curiosity about the illusion of light in my paintings led me to translate these forms into the physical world through three-dimensional, hollow knitted sculptures illuminated from within. What began as an investigation into stitch pattern and structure returned to my ongoing interest in memory and reflection. I came to view the knitted stitch itself as a vessel for memory, prompting a shift toward using fiber as a means of documenting lived experience. Most recently, this has taken the form of recording my daily life as a secondary art teacher.
The works in this portfolio function as tactile records of time. Each piece begins with handspun yarn, into which I add ink during the spinning process to create unique “fingerprints,” embedding my presence into the material from the outset. Throughout the school week, I document each of my eight class periods, categorizing them on a spectrum from calm to complete chaos. These observations are translated into stitch patterns and knitted into a weekly spherical form composed of eight wedges, with three rows representing each day. Stitch variations visually encode these experiences: uniform stitches indicate calm moments, ordered holes suggest controlled chaos, and torn or frayed areas reflect moments of disruption or loss of control. Subtle details mark time further, with perforations indicating dates at the top and patterned rows along the base summarizing the overall tone of the week.
In an era dominated by digital documentation, this work emphasizes the value of slow, physical processes. Through spinning, knitting, and exhibiting these illuminated sculptures, I aim to preserve personal history in a tangible form and invite viewers to reflect on their own experiences, memories, and methods of record-keeping.
(The bottom two sculptures do not featured the handspun, fingerprint yarn, as they were created while I was still spinning it!).
