Statement for Copse, an exhibit during February 2024 at AS220 Gallery in Providence, RI

Trees are a lifelong obsession for me, a source of delight, and a frequent theme in my work. I think about how a living tree grows while one materializes in the fabric. Many of my trees are more an idea of a tree than a real species. Some images represent an actual tree that I know. In 'Dawn Redwood Forest', for example, I portray one favorite tree multiple times, imagining a forest out of its singular magnificence.

When I quilt a tree, a whole ecosystem emerges with it. I populate this constructed world with creatures; I call them 'monsters'. They observe, reveal, act and interact. They are also surprisingly expressive and emotional. While the trees are large and easy to see, please come very close to get to know the monsters too.