A Year of Presence/ts
2019-2021
Embroidery on cotton and found fabric, hemp backing
93"x80"
Embroidery on cotton and found fabric, hemp backing
93"x80"
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We moved to Maine in the summer of 2017 and I spent months perpetually astounded by the quantity and diversity of animals, plants, rocks, weather events, the size and loudness of the trees surrounding our house, etc. At first it felt like I couldn't possibly deserve such constant beauty. At the end of 2018 I realized I wanted to record my experiences in some way, make note of them. I decided that I would keep track of every animal I saw each day for a year, starting January 1, 2019. If you look closely, you'll notice I didn't just stick to animals-- there are many entries about plants, and some about weather, astronomical bodies, etc.-- but recording animals was my original intention.
I was very diligent about my tracking. I carried a small purple notebook where I carefully made notes. Eventually, due to the sheer volume of entries during the explosion of life that is late spring, that turned into me making hasty notes on whatever was handy (often simply my hand) and eventually I ended up just emailing myself notes on my phone. But I still transferred every entry into the purple notebook.
Most of these sightings occurred where I live in southern Maine, primarily from Raymond to South Portland. There is also a week in northern Wales (the fabric for those days comes from vintage bedsheets I purchased in Wales) and there were also several days in Bridgeport, CT.
I started this project as a record of the amazing beings I encounter every day. Over the two years it took me to complete, I realized that it was a gift to myself and also to the spirits of the land. A way for me to say-- I see you, you are important to me, thank you.
I was very diligent about my tracking. I carried a small purple notebook where I carefully made notes. Eventually, due to the sheer volume of entries during the explosion of life that is late spring, that turned into me making hasty notes on whatever was handy (often simply my hand) and eventually I ended up just emailing myself notes on my phone. But I still transferred every entry into the purple notebook.
Most of these sightings occurred where I live in southern Maine, primarily from Raymond to South Portland. There is also a week in northern Wales (the fabric for those days comes from vintage bedsheets I purchased in Wales) and there were also several days in Bridgeport, CT.
I started this project as a record of the amazing beings I encounter every day. Over the two years it took me to complete, I realized that it was a gift to myself and also to the spirits of the land. A way for me to say-- I see you, you are important to me, thank you.
Some in-progress photos:
