Career Development Grant

My goal is to create five large scale textile wall-hangings, work with Lisa Fitzpatrick to incorporate my designs with animation and project these onto the ceiling and back wall at the Nordic Center for an exhibition Luova Taide Yhdessa: Creative Art Together. The idea of my work/wall-hangings being 2D and then for the work to spill out into a visual dance with animation and changing patterns is exciting. My intent is for people to be inspired from my work, color, pattern making and designs. I hope for the audience to find correlations from inspiration I gather during my trip to Finland, bringing a rich understanding of modern Nordic aesthetic to The Nordic Center in Duluth. I will be visiting the Marimekko Textile factory whose designs have been a muse for me since I was a teenager. I believe that this visit will be pivotal for new concepts within my textiles and outreach for all who view the exhibition. For the exhibition to be well attended, for the work to speak to the participants/attendees, for me to have an understanding of the animation process and how to transform my work within this technology will be exciting. I will be creating hand stenciled wall-hangings that will greet the viewers. At the same time, they will see the work transformed by projections on the ceiling and the back wall. This will bring the work to life in a sense with animation from the originally works at the start of the exhibit. I hope to create excitement and open up possibilities on ways that 2D work can be transformed. If I inspire and excite the audience I know that my goal will be achieved. We will seek other venues for this exhibition, my textile work and outreach for interweaving Nordic design within our community and beyond. If these goals are met I know that doors will open and the artistic dance will kindle.