Defense Date
2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts
Department
Craft/Material Studies
First Advisor
Hillary Waters Fayle
Abstract
My thesis work celebrates natural color, honors traditional hand processes, and gently questions the often gendered divisions between different material disciplines. I emphasize the continued relevance of these ancient tacit traditions through exposed seams and stitches. I create a color palette entirely derived from plants and insects, sharing the many shades that come from natural dyes. I create wall mounted and installation based works that soften the edge of distinction between painting, sculpture and textile.
My research includes the history of soft sculpture and American quilting, paired with the stories and chemistry of natural color. With a process closely related to qualities we associate to femininity, (color, softness, handwork, etc.) my recent sculptural forms pull from figurative and botanical bodies. When constructing these objects, I work to honor the generosity of the plants that give us color and the hands that make working with these materials possible.
This written thesis is a personal investigation of the origins of my practice; my journey to natural color, my lifelong admiration for scrap material, and the beginnings of when I started to work with a needle and thread.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
5-8-2026