Motherlode

I give form to what has been silenced but is held in our bodies and imaginings. This work began with learning how mitochondrial DNA carries the matrilineal legacy from mother to daughter down through the generations. I stitch copper wire in visceral colour to create a matrix of cellular forms recalling the enduring maternal that creates us all. Symbols knitted in wire stand in for the lost names, faces and stories of a female family tree. The materials and techniques I use tell as much of the story as the forms themselves. Copper wire is pliable yet strong, and it also holds memory. The slow process of building an artwork one stitch at a time feels comforting and meaningful, connecting me with women’s precious labour and care.