making do / unexpected juxtopositions

sheers-w

redbeads-w

sheers-redbeads-w

The second week of my residency at Recology  , I found a load of vintage sheers in the PDRA (public disposal and recycle area) aka - the dump. Beautiful! I washed them and set them aside where they laid dormant in my imagination.In the sixth week of my residency I came across six panels of red plastic beaded curtains in the dump. Gorgeous! While I was sleeping an unexpected juxtaposition woke me up.Both finds were curtains of sorts but with different narratives... the sheers spoke of the domesticated home space, the red beaded curtains of a massage parlor or a dance club perhaps? Then I thought of the tradition of redwork and red and white quilts... purity and passion... milk and blood... virgin/mother and whore... Such a classic pairing! I new they were meant to be together. I felt a tingle and flush from head to toe, as I do when seemingly unrelated items form a relationship in my imagination and inspire me to action.Part of my challenge at Recology is that 99% of all the materials I make with have to be from the PDRA. That includes the batting. So these demure white sheers will be quilted with the beaded blood of red running through their veins!If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area my exhibition will be on September 23, 5-9PM, September 24, 1-3 PM, and September 27, 5-7 PM.Follow the project on Instagram or Facebook.