Memory Blanket

Knowing our history gives us roots. Memory, nostalgia, story-telling and historic forces build who we are. However, the burden of history and our indebtedness to – or anger at – those who came before us can also shape us in profound ways, crushing us with painful emotions, or stifling us with expectation. I am exploring moving forwards, stepping outside of the comfort of history but also beyond its weight.
Comfort Blanket consists of 115 squares of air-dry clay embellished using photo transfer, paint, relief sculpture, and etching, as well as found items such as beads and sequins. These pieces are quilted together with wool to create a moveable yet non-functional blanket.
For the companion pillow, air-dry clay is also used.
Archival family photographs, many retrieved from the homes of my grandparents after they died, provided the majority of the images.