friend
wool, cotton, silk, wax. 2020
It’s growing on the wall. Friend is a green space, welcome or unwelcome, creating itself in our indoor space. The natural world is one we revere when it is convenient and one that we destroy or run away from when it is inconvenient. What is our sensation when we encounter moss or mold or life in places we do not designate for natural growth? Is it fear or wonder? Is it a desire to scrape away and bleach and clean or is it to preserve and take note? What is your sensation? Friend was created to be the embodiment of our simultaneous discomfort and fascination with nature.
This sculpture was created during my residency at The Wassaic Project as the Education Fellow in January 2020. I worked with members of their community to share the artform of wet felting and everyone from toddlers to grandparents created different felted forms during workshops and open studio time at the Arts Nest. Some of their felted leaves even worked their way into the body of Friend.
