To Gather Resources: A Lesson from the chipmunks Artwork

My current body of work is an ongoing series, which I have been working on for over 2 years titled, “Becoming”: The Transition from Childhood to Womanhood, celebrating my 12 year old daughter’s journey and ceremonial right of passage into womanhood. Important revelations in this series involve but are not limited to the following themes: Our relationships to the natural world and the relevance of imagination. Cultural views, attitudes, and communication regarding the physical transitions of the female body, definitions of womanhood, and the teachings we share with our daughters about what it means to have a female body, and how to protect it in today’s society. The portraits included in this exhibition are still in the process of being made and are awaiting more fine details drawn with thread and in some cases more imagery relevant to the story I am telling. I invite you to engage with my work in progress, the images and full story incomplete at this time, with the hope that it will inspire enough curiosity to encourage you to stay connected with what I am manifesting through my artistic practice. The full collection (all 26 portraits) is scheduled to debut in January 2023 at the Textile Center in Minneapolis Minnesota. My portraits explore intimate parts of my life and center on the juxtaposition between my white culture and my husband’s traditional indigenous culture, and continue to express a range of challenging topics concerning today’s society, with spirituality deeply woven into their narratives. My work is vulnerable, honest and personal, but has the power to make universal connections. Even when my work is dark, it’s filled with hope.