A New Heaven and a New Earth, May It Continue at Silverwood Park Gallery in St. Anthony, MN (solo)
2026
In tribute to Slavic embroidery, my tufted and satin photo banners contain protective symbols for the climate crisis, one for each station on the wheel of the year, and in tribute to the circular kolo (“wheel”) dance. They act as altars and placemarkers for our journey through the year, the wheel of the year also representing the cycle of life. Creating symbols is a bid to create our future, while also acting as a record of what the concerns of a society or community were. Many Slavic embroidery symbols still apply to our modern concerns–symbols for protection from violence, a call for health, and energetic protection. I made these rugs with aprons while in reverence to and communication with my Slavic ancestors, with a prayer in mind for each piece. One of the ways we can fight for the future of our planet and neighborhoods is keeping our ancestors present, connecting with their traditions and magic and the ways of living they left us with to continue and adapt. This includes everyday objects like textiles, clothing, furniture and food, many of which have magical and protective qualities.
The borders of each rug are traditional Slavic embroidery patterns, with my own designs with that station of the wheel of the year in mind, using symbols that hold magic for me.
Everything is a medium! While glueing and tufting, I was listening to: a lot of Alice In Chains, Tori Amos, and Jeff Buckley, Sally Mann read her audiobook Art Work, the Telepathy Tapes, Otherworld, Normal Gossip, JennaWorld, The Devil You Know, Snitch City, Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, The Great Women Artists and Bandsplain podcasts, and the Ninth Street Women audiobook.
The title for this show is from Diane di Prima’s poem, "Revolutionary Letter #68: Life Chant”.
As part of the show, visitors were invited to write their hopes and wishes for the future of our planet on water-soluble paper, which will be dissolved into the Powderhorn Park pond in the spring, releasing our wishes back to the water stream.
Candlemas/Imbolc May we devote our resources toward creating a healthy world. Machine tufted wool, some of it remnants from the rug industry, my great-grandpa Constantine’s photo of his beloved flowers on satin, chainette fringe, gimp trim, glue, backing, hooks, the silhouette of the human blood that Sister Megan Rice threw on the walls of the Y-12 National Security Complex nuclear weapons facility
Spring Equinox/Ostara May we continue making art as a sign of hope for a new environmental era. Machine tufted wool, my great-grandpa Constantine’s photo of his beloved flowers on satin, chainette fringe, gimp trim, glue, backing, hooks
May Day/Beltane May our planet remain protected by the otherworlds. Machine tufted wool, some of it remnants from the rug industry, my great-grandpa Constantine’s photo of his beloved flowers on satin, deadstock ribbon, gimp trim, glue, backing, hooks, outline of my favorite lake on the Iron Range
Summer Solstice/Kupala Night May we equally distribute resources so all living things may be healthy and abundant. Machine tufted wool, my great-grandpa Constantine’s photo of his beloved flowers on satin, gimp trim, glue, backing, hooks, silhouette of Anna Atkins’ cyanotype of British ferns
Lammas May we create with the earth and spirit with pleasure. Machine tufted wool, my great-grandpa Constantine’s photo of his tomato garden on satin, horse hair, gimp trim, glue, backing, hooks
Autumn Equinox May the planet rebalance and find equilibrium. Machine tufted wool, some of it remnants from the rug industry, my great-grandpa Constantine’s photo of his beloved flowers on satin, vintage chainette fringe, vintage gimp trim, glue, backing, hooks
Samhain/Hallowmas May we remember that our ancestors are in the air, earth, water and fire and treat them with care. Machine tufted wool, my great-grandpa Constantine’s photo of his beloved flowers on satin, vintage lace, gimp trim, glue, backing, hooks, the silhouette of Isabella Stewart Gardner’s “Railing with a Gate” in her Spanish Chapel
Winter Solstice/Yule/Saturnalia May today’s sun die and a new one be born out of the darkness. Machine tufted wool, my great-grandpa Constantine’s photo of his beloved flowers on satin, chainette fringe, gimp trim, glue, backing, hooks