This work is approximately 36×24 inches. The quilt is naturally dyed and printed with plants found in Roanoke and near Tinker Creek. All fabric began as white and was given color by plants, colors including brown, yellows, greens, purples, and blues. The quilt hangs from a tree branch. The center brown and yellow pieces of fabric. all came from the Black Walnut Tree.

This work was greatly inspired by finding time to be present and actually “see”. Throughout the process, I was reminded of how often the mind wants to wander, especially in a world obsessed with technology and attention. Annie Dillard’s observations of Nature and Being are timeless and helped to bring me back to the present when I noticed my mind begin to drift. Taking a moment to breathe and observe, on a walk or while watering the plants, was integral in the making of this work.

My work is rooted in the exploration of Nature. The natural world is part of what makes us human. Nature and plants want a relationship with us, and in order for us to live a truly fulfilling life, we need to cultivate a relationship and practice grounded in the natural world.

‘Pilgrim at Tinker Creek’ inspired me to slow down and just “be” with nature in the everyday. When making the work I was thinking about the balance of light and dark, life and death, positive and negative. The ebbs and flows of these energies, and the seasons are so present in the text and it was my aim to capture these binaries within the work.

How can I better prioritize nature in my everyday life? How can I best stay in the present? What takes me away from the present?

I have learned that Nature is the original Artist. It is alive in every sense and it has so much to share. I’ve also learned the power of presence and the importance of observing what nature has to share. I have learned that this relationship between humans and nature requires reciprocity,.