unveiling

As promised, here is a closer look into my art for Body Orthodoxy...

1. My Artist Statement

I am a physical, tactile, concrete person. For as long as I can remember, my brain shuts down when my body is not being engaged. It should be no surprise, then, that my artistic medium is knitting. The process of knitting opens & engages my body through its soothing rhythms & complex, organic textures. This rhythm ultimately grounds me and allows my mind to wander & create. I work primarily with wool and other natural fibers, because those fibers help to maintain the rich, grounding sense that I seek when I knit.

My primary objective in this collection of work is to spark a playful curiosity about sexuality & draw the viewer in through color, texture, & by stimulating the sense of touch. Not only is my art concrete & tactile in process but also in product. Whether it’s a sweater or a vagina, knitted work is meant to be touched, petted, & explored.

Creating the pieces in this exhibit was a long process that challenged me both technically & emotionally. I was forced to consider, learn, & connect with the human body to a depth that I may never have considered before. This process caused many of the emotions & memories that I carry in my own body to surface & required me to face them. It was both wonderful & grueling.

Now, as I face my completed work - feeling the weight of the lactating breasts, holding the flaccid penis, and unfolding the delicate, inner labia – I want to simultaneously squeal with delight, burst into tears, & recoil in shame. I am curious about these feelings and intrigued by how sexuality engages me and solicits such strong reactions. Knitting provides a playful, childlike way for me to enter this curiosity.

This work has revealed many unopened doors in my own sexuality. My hope is that it will do the same for those who see and interact with my work. My hope is that we will all become aware of those doors within ourselves and maybe even decide to peer inside one or two of them along the way. I think we might be surprised by the pleasure, beauty, & connection that we will find there.

2. My Work

I wish you were here to feel each of these pieces. 75% of the experience is touching them - the textures of the yarn and the various items I used to stuff the pieces (e.g., the breasts are stuffed with water balloons for a more realistic feel). You'll have to just use your imaginations for that part. :) [I apologize for some of the poor picture quality.]

The Buttocks

The Large, Lactating Breasts

The Small Breasts


The Circumcised, Erect Penis

The Flaccid, Intact Penis

(I haven't taken a picture of it yet, but the foreskin folds back to reveal the head of the penis. It's both hilarious & beautiful.)

The Menstruating Vagina

"Can you find the clitoris?"

Overall Display