n 1999, I began my artistic journey in ceramics as a hand-builder specializing in slip-cast molding, raku, and photographic transfers onto clay. In 2005, I discovered textiles and dropped the clay for fiber.Since then,I've been wildly focused on recording urban narratives and practicing activism through woven, shaped, mixed-media tapestries, which I create on large, 4-harness floor looms. With tapestry specifically, I became self-taught through trial and error. I had no rules because I'd never been taught any. I hand-dye and use mostly natural fibers and materials for my work, like wool mill ends, silk, cotton, linen, and raffia, but I have also used metal twine, tinsel, and some other re-purposed, manufactured materials. The translation of thought and memory on and off the woven grid helps usher in a re-negotiation of my past and helps foster a sense of power and perspective I once thought was gone. I strive to be fearless in my attempts to push the limits of my craft through shaping and material exploration. With every shed change on the loom, the work becomes a love poem to urban life, the world around us, and the human condition.
Growing up in Oakland during the 1980s and 90s, my formative years were defined by the stark vibrancy of an urban landscape characterized by both decay and resilience. I was constantly surrounded by the raw texture of street art, abandoned storefronts, the omnipresence of pigeons, grit, saturated colors, blasting music, and the visual rhythm of busted car windows, all of which existed alongside the stunning foggy-bay backdrop that we calkl the Bay Area. These elements—the profound human struggles and the stark, beautiful surroundings—became the foundational building blocks of my vision. My translations into tapestry have been consistently informed by that beautiful, potent environment, allowing me to distill the complexities of city life into tactile portal. Through these woven explorations, I document the echoes of an urban history that shaped who I am today, ensuring that these fleeting memories are given lasting, physical form.