Leaving (A Love Letter)
24’’ x 24’’
26’’ x 26’’
Back of piece, 26’’ x 26’’
Cleaning out my dad’s place after his death in 2025 got me thinking a lot about my ma.
The people here are me and my mom, 1989 - this would’ve been right around the time of my parent’s divorce. I’ve included the original photo, taken in my grandparents’ front yard - easily datable based on brand new baby cousin Kashta next to me. The suitcase I actually found up in a loft of the barn/garage while cleaning out my dad’s; it was full of my mom’s old knitted stuff from the ‘80s (leg warmers, hats, scarves). The fabrics I used came from my grandmothers - many were large bolts, once used as tablecloths for big family gatherings. The stains and cigarette burn you see on the fabric are remnants from those meals together. Other smaller fabric bits came from grandma scraps and an old dress of mine (I also used a section of drop cloth found at my dad’s).
PROCESS:
Lifting (A Love Letter)
24’’ x 24’’
Back of piece, 26’’ x 26’’
This piece celebrates my tenacious grandma, Donna French, and her origins as a children’s librarian. In the 1960s, she started the Aurora, OH elementary school libraries (who at the time had none) out of her VW van - “the bus”. Initially, she would borrow from other libraries to source her books. Eventually, she was given a hallway to set up in as seen above - before getting a room and paid staff position at the schools. She made reading fun, inclusive and expansive for countless children while also creating safe, funky, and welcoming spaces for all.
PROCESS:
