Ann attributes her love of textiles to her mother who grew up in Finland, a country where beautiful design is greatly revered. She always had a project — an embroidered pillow, a cross-stitch wall-hanging, a traditional Rya rug or a patch on Ann’s favorite pants. When her sons were little she focused on paper collage as a creative outlet. In a happy twist, Ann’s youngest came home with an embroidered piece he’d made in art class, and subsequently started embellishing a shirt and jeans. Ann’s interest in fabrics was reignited and not long after she’d started stitching, a friend gave her some upholstery samples. There was no looking back. Ann became obsessed with finding and using “found fabric,” taking inspiration from layering of colors and patterns. Look close at Ann’s pieces and you may see snippets from an old dishcloth, a loved Boden skirt, the now-too-tight Old Navy sundress or Marimekko fabric which she inherited from her mother. Several years ago Ann was inspired to stop buying new clothes in response to the waste and environmental impact of the fashion industry. She took to shopping at thrift stores, mending pants (thanks Mom!) and reading up on boro stitching which has its roots in Japan. Reuse of even the smallest scraps of fabric and visible mending are characteristics of boro and can be found in my fabric collages and other pieces. Ann often employs a simple running stitch which adds texture and color. The process itself is slow and meditative. Her Mom would be proud!

On display September and October 2022

Opening reception Saturday, September 24th | 4-6pm | FREE with registration