Landscape, Lineage, and Belonging, v. 2 –
In early 2024, I felt a pull to explore the intricate connections between quilts, the land, lineage, and belonging. This exploration was shaped by my readings of Appalachian Elegy by bell hooks. Certain poems became touchstones. I’d read them over and over, and during a short residency in Syracuse, NY, in mid-January, I began working through the ideas coming to mind.
I invited friends and family to contribute to an altar of sorts, asking them to reflect on their own connections to the landscape and belonging. Their responses were diverse and deeply personal—words, sound recordings, photos, artworks, collected objects, poems, and even new creations made specifically for this project. Together, these contributions formed a multimedia, collaborative installation that filled the space with a collection of shared experiences and perspectives.
With the collaborative elements in place, I began creating pieced fabric prints, depicting flora, fauna, and landscapes that intertwined with the themes we were exploring together. These prints became a visual language through which I expressed my own reflections on the land and its significance.
In the work presented in this book, I build on those same ideas. With the help of new friends, I set up an installation in my backyard, incorporating the same fabric prints and backdrop, as well as new and repeated alter offerings. Found objects, plants from the land where I now live, and even my dog, Ellie, became part of this evolving narrative. By merging imagery from my childhood landscape with the physical environment of my current home, a dialogue starts to emerge between past and present, connecting memories and place.
This body of work serves as a meditation on belonging—how it is shaped by the land we inhabit, the histories we carry, and the connections we share with others. Through this ongoing exploration, I strive to honor the complexity of these relationships and the ways in which they continue to shape our identities.
