hurricane & tornado

Currently I am immersed in creating a series of print installations that include screen prints that depict domestic objects floating away in a sea. The works, entitled “You can’t take it with you…”, are about being swept away by the sea of life. I attempt to capture some of the intense feelings of chaos that can enter our lives–a swirl of my own daily stresses, especially my experiences as a new mother, and culturally significant issues like the refugee or migrant experience, issues of rising sea levels and climate change, and current economics. The “You can’t take it with you…” stews on the color blue and uses a mixture of utilitarian materials (blue tarp, Tyvek, steel) with art materials and techniques (handmade paper, screen printing).

“You can’t take it with you..(hurricane & tornado)” is two whirligigs sculptures that are powered by a singular rowing machine. The structures are based on vintage drying racks—one a wheel-like, collapsible, laundry rack that references a hurricane; the second an inverted bottle rack that resembles a tornado. The structures are fixed to 6-8 feet posts that allow the pieces to spin and covered in screen printed flags. As the whirligigs spin the paper sheets fly and create a flurry of blue. The rower—me at the reception and invited community women (mothers) at scheduled times throughout the show—will navigate the sea and cause ‘waves’ or ‘weather’ in the space as the whirligigs spin.

“You can’t take it with you..(hurricane & tornado)” was produced through a partnership with the Open Ohio: Navigating Turbulence art + science project and the amazing artist/engineer, Brooks Wenzel.