Postal Quilt, 2019. Cyanotype soaked cotton, store bought cotton, flannel, string, batting. Machine sewn, with hand sewn edge.

Artist Statement:

For my very first quilt, I sent packages to many friends and family across the United States, and several internationally. Each “kit” contained instructions, two carefully packaged fabric squares I pretreated with cyanotype chemicals, and rubber gloves. I invited each person to create an image on their fabric using their own imagination in collaboration with the sun. Cyanotype is a process that uses UV sensitive chemicals to make a print on fabric or paper. Any part of the fabric exposed to the sun will turn blue, the areas covered will stay white. Anything placed on top during exposure will leave an impression of its shadow. There are infinite options and ways to make an image this way, but there will always be only one copy. 

As the transformed fabric trickled its way back through the postal system, I pieced them together into one whole. I found a wild ombre patterned cotton, to frame their shapes, and accent the wide swath of blue tones. I chose a soft blue flannel as the back, hand tied the front, batting, and back together with blue embroidery floss, and hand stitched the edge on with oceans of tiny blue stitches. I was delighted to see the variety of solutions everyone had come up with to meet the challenge. Natural and mechanical forms dance together, while intimate prized possessions play with strange found flora. This piece of art was immediately welcomed into my home, and continues to comfort my bed on cold winter nights. It is a collaborative piece that protects and warms with its layered blessings.