I love the feel of cloth and the way various weaves capture and reflect light.
And I value the fact that my work with cloth is connected -- in both technique and imagery -- to a culture and spiritual tradition which have inspired me, welcomed me, and helped me to grow.
In four years of apprenticeship to Tibetan craftsmen, I was privileged to learn their unique methods of appliqué, piecing, and embroidery.
Honoring a traditional technique and the culture from which it comes, I apply it in new ways, to new subjects, creating not only the traditional sacred images which represent the full development of our positive qualities but also ordinary images of real people who, in some way, reveal the joy, patience, sincerity, and dignity of which we humans are capable.
I enjoy bringing out my subjects' individual expressiveness with a few well placed lines of thread.
And I like the way the play of light on the fabric conveys the light of the place, the light in people's eyes, and sometimes even the light of wisdom of the Buddhist teachings.
People say my work must require tremendous patience, but doing what one loves doesn't require patience. Of course, the months I invest in each work entail a long wait for the final result, but the painstaking, hand-stitched detail calls for diligence not patience, as almost every moment of the process brings me joy. |
