Boom Bang Pop!

Techniques and materials: Pieced and quilted Indonesian Batik cotton, vintage crochet, hand spun yarn, machine embroidery, hand stitching

Artwork Statement: As I was sorting my mother’s possessions after her passing, I came across her large collection of crocheted pieces that were created by a number of her female ancestors. As I was growing up, several of these pieces were routinely cleaned and starched and proudly displayed on table tops or draped over chairs. Luckily, my mother had labeled a few of the items with the maker’s name. Those examples will be kept intact for generations to come. However, many of the others were unlabeled and some were damaged. As a way to honor the fiber artists who have come before, I decided to create a series of pieces that featured their handiwork. When grouped together, several reminded me of a fireworks show, especially the finale. I only hope my ancestors would approve of my efforts to keep their hard work from languishing in a box in a basement (or worse), even if Boom Bang Pop! wasn’t where they imagined their art works would end up!

On view at THSB (25th and Poplar Terre Haute IN) until Jan 2027

Purchase inquiries welcome!