Statement
One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, 'What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?'” - Rachel Carson
Nature reveals itself with intricate patterns and compelling details. A brief sighting of wildlife or the discovery of a growing jewel can be a transitory respite or a life long enrichment. The natural world allows itself to be discovered again and again, as we cross its boundaries with our own and try to reconcile its small, private moments with the cacophonies of our own worlds.
My attention has long been held by these glimpses and discoveries; they have become my source of sanctuary and personal rhythm. Collecting natural forms and incorporating them into my work reaffirms truths that begin with the self, but are at once universal. A certain intimacy is established by both acts - the collecting and the making.
Ritual and iconography have long created similar ties with the natural world. Totems, talismans, amulets, and icons have often represented nature meeting personal definition. I employ elements of these constructs to create dialogs between representation and ornamentation. Using the language of domestic linens, vintage writing and patterns of old textiles, I connect to eras when people lived by the cadences of earth, times when both subjects and symbolism had spiritual connections to nature.
I take note of what nature reveals and translate with metaphors of vulnerability, transformation, and survival. I present those translations to the viewer in the form of layered histories that challenge with discoveries yet to be made.
Sharon McCartney