What we Leave Behind - 2024
The work in this series relates to many difficult conversations I have had with my parents over the last several years about the future of my family’s farm in Wisconsin. These conversations have been largely about what will happen to the land and the things that get passed on. For each of them, they have valued different things in the course of their life. For my father, it has always been the owning and farming of his land. For my mother, it’s the items she has collected, like her fine china. It’s hard to process many of my own feelings surrounding the farm, especially anticipating a future without my parents, but it has also made me consider what it means to leave behind a legacy. For me, a legacy isn’t so much about the material items but about the relationships I create with those around me. To me, a legacy is in the memories carried on by those we love and not in the physical things left behind. Each piece relates to memories I have shared with my parents and what they value in their lives.
A Seat at the Table
The piece, A Seat at the Table, features a linen tablecloth printed with satellite imagery of Wisconsin farmland. The borders of my family's farm are hand stitched in red embroidery thread. The two chairs symbolize a seat for both my parents, who still run and manage the farm.
Broken China Series
The breaking of these dishes is a cathartic release for me as I reflect on the patriarchal and antiquated rituals that my mother instilled in me. While growing up, my mother taught me how to host formal dinners using fine dishware. I learned about the different patterns and which sets were more expensive than others.
My mother also loved horseback riding, and she passed this passion on to me. Breaking the dishes and reconstructing them into a horse reflects my memories of her but also speaks to something we both value.
Lace Barn
Along with fine china, my mother had many lace tablecloths. These beautiful pieces of cloth would adorn her table and compliment her different china sets. Taking a piece of lace and forming it into the shape of my parents combines both of my parent's values. It also softens the very masculine structure of the barn, leaving it both fragile and firm.