Dyad 1

Exploring the relationships between mother and baby, I use the diptych as a form for meditating on the mother-infant dyad. Fascinated by how newborns and mothers’ well-being is completely connected through their physical and emotional dependence on each other, I create tension between the stability and instability of this postpartum period through the individual but connected pieces that comprise the diptych. At the same time, the threads are both tightly and loosely stitched, allowing for flow and movement between the two pairs yet they remain joined. The simple and repetitive stitching reflects the monotonous nature of early motherhood. The process becomes a mechanism for soothing, or mothering, myself. There is an exploration of the experience of time as well. The repeating geometric pattern and grid structure are reminiscent of a calendar. Because it is stitched by hand, each square is the same but slightly in the same way that every day with a newborn baby is the same, but always slightly unpredictable.

Description: hand embroidery and drawing on paper

Medium: cotton thread, colored pencil, handmade paper

Dimensions: 12” x 16” framed; approx. 8” x 5” unframed

Year: 2021