Two steps forward, one step back
Now that I’ve printed enough fabric to create what I imagine will be a corner of hanging silkscreened fabric, I’m not entirely sure what comes next. My mind keeps circling through possibilities, over and over.
In a meeting with Michael David, he assured me I already have enough work to create a stunning exhibition — so not to worry. He encouraged me to stay open-ended, stop trying to solve every element in advance, and simply keep working. He shared a video about the making of A Day in the Life by the Beatles, and it felt incredibly relevant. Their process involved building the song in sections before knowing exactly where it would lead. They committed to parts, trusting it would eventually come together. Even at the last minute, they stayed open to change — something that took the work from good to great.
Keeping their process in mind, I moved forward with less pressure to create something perfect. I just needed to keep working and trust that it would come together.
Reflecting on some of my earliest memories of my father, I remembered him reading fairy tales to me when I was very small. It felt magical — and safe. Wanting to create something inspired by those memories, I decided to make a kind of quilt incorporating text from letters he sent me over the years.
Continuing with lightweight fabrics, I wanted to explore transparency and light to create something ethereal. I gathered different weaves of gauze and other lightweight fabrics. I originally imagined a dusty pink background and began working with two shades of pink fabric. I experimented with printing text directly onto gauze as well as image transfers. The process was more time-consuming than expected, but I reminded myself that doing something new always takes time. I printed sections at different scales, directions, and on different fabrics to create subtle variations.
After working on the piece for quite a while, I got stuck. Something wasn’t working. After spending a long time looking and thinking, I realized the pink fabric was wrong. Although I loved the color, it diminished the transparency and ethereal feeling of memory. So I took it all apart, found a more transparent fabric for the base, and pressed on. This is where the piece landed.
I haven’t fully decided how — or even if — this piece will find its way into the installation. What I do know is that it holds something real — and I’ll follow where it leads
