“Growing up in the mountains of southeastern Idaho and the Black Hills of South Dakota, I was greatly influenced by my rural surroundings. My parents chose to live a simplified “close to the earth” lifestyle, so I was taught to reuse, use up, and make do. Because I took a meandering road to college, I had the chance to pursue many career paths and hobbies such as working as a pastry chef in a French bakery, doing research and development for a granola company, and raising chickens in a barn outside my home.
In 2015 I received my BFA in the Fiber Department of the Kansas City Art Institute. While much of my work uses traditional textile processes such as quilting, weaving, and surface design, I also use collage, installation, and performance to explore domestic themes. I worked as the Fiber Technician and taught studio electives at the Kansas City Art Institute until my recent move to western Kentucky where I am currently the Fiber Artist in Residence at the Paducah School of Art & Design and Executive Director of the Yeiser Art Center. ”
My art is about: fish in a swimming pool, vacation bible school, snow, dogs, religion, godparents, scary movies, planting fruit trees, ugly plaid wallpaper, cutting down a Christmas tree in the forest, being bad at gymnastics, mud pies, not having a tv, graham crackers with frosting, driving to Canada in my grandparents station wagon, a summer in Montana, shooting a deer, eating peanut butter and bacon sandwiches with my Dad, getting licorice from the top shelf of the pantry, feeling left out at school, getting my period for the first time in gym class, having my first boyfriend, moving to a different state, hating my parents, not fitting in at a new school, thinking I could be a doctor when I grew up, snow forts, riding the school bus, cowboys, hating my sister, hating high school, drugs, smoking, pregnancy, abortion, taking care of my nephew, getting my first apartment with my boyfriend, hating my boyfriend, breaking up, moving, not having anywhere to live, bad decisions, a trip to New York, learning to cook, wine, hair dye, bikers, moving to a new state, environmentalism, the natural food industry, love letters, farming, bars, jail, chickens, ranches, the country, country music, care packages to soldiers, planting potatoes, canoeing, Kansas (the state, not the band), being older than everyone at school, driving a crappy car, friends having babies, parents who can’t take care of themselves, a good boyfriend, getting roses on Valentine’s day, eating ice cream for dinner, having one secret hoarding room in my house, buying a new car, road trips, sushi, good beer, writing papers, thinking I will probably fail, knowing my biological clock is ticking, hating weddings, popcorn, birds of Missouri, suicide, injured animals, desperation, poverty, alcoholism, my nieces, the military, dry skin, 4-H, floods, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, cleaning, financial aid, swimming suits, invisible zippers, hummus, loose leaf tea, an existential crisis, teachers that don’t respond to emails, flat tires, homemade cheesecake, parrots, catfish, in-laws, allergies, swimming in lakes, the power going out, really ripe peaches, fresh salsa, wood stoves, wood floors, crappy vinyl floors, tiny attic apartments, Pink Floyd, Jim Morrison, broken windows, growing pot in the closet, walking to work, feeling indestructible, wearing too much mascara, overdue books, crutches, a cabin on a lake, skiing, field trips, tie-dye shirts, the Planetarium, zoo animals, veganism, mammograms, dog bathing, planning a funeral, getting toilet paper stuck on your shoe, pretending to be sick, secretly crying in the bathroom, bad eyesight, dinner parties with friends, meeting your new boss, fresh sheets, feeling accomplished, pretending to be more responsible than I am, working with my hands, credit card debt, grilling hot dogs, the fear of flying, poetry, feminism, self doubt, writing resumes, landscape photography, science experiments, distant relatives, art, owning a business, teaching, learning to do something the proper way, failure, blogging, teacher crushes, feeling overwhelmed by technology, indie movies, scholarships, old blankets, Girl Scout cookies, a good husband, fresh basil, and bluegrass music.
