It’s been really satisfying to let this project unfold and develop in a way where I am just following instincts and cues from the work itself and beyond. Originally, I felt the prompt of roots as something deep in the ground, our origins, things that came or went before, including people and traditions. I have a visceral urge to connect to those in the ancestral plane not only by sensing them in the vastness above but also feeling their support under foot. With each ‘root’ I’m keeping in mind one of the special people in my life who have passed, and allowing their energies and identities to inform each piece. Whenever I think of tradition, quilting comes to mind as a practice that is handed down and keeps families connected and histories alive. I’ve chosen a different quilt block pattern for each (so far, cathedral windows, simple star, log cabin).
As I progress, many of the root forms are taking on more of an obelisk shape, and upon researching the origins of the obelisk I really love this pathway. I’m finding so much alignment in the way obelisks connect the earth to the sky, a symbol of the divine as well as the afterlife (which to me, are one and the same!).
