My fear is that there is a maudlin quality to my work, and that by sharing my personal experiences, anecdotes, and feelings, it's as if my audience has walked in on me in the bathroom. I have tried to mediate the confessional nature of my work by creating fictional characters and sharing viewpoints/voices other than my own. Yet I still wonder: is my work slight because it is about the human need for lasting connection rather than a cry against the social/political ills of our time?
My work itself seeks connection. As I work on a piece about a specific person, I often think, "I feel as though I am stitching us together." Each time my needle enters the fabric, I am creating an opening to fill with thread. And if I create an opening within myself, I leave open the opportunity of allowing someone to enter.
Image at top: "Stitched Together." 2009. Embroidery and applique on fabric. See my web site for more info.
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