Namaste: A Portrait of Grace and Legacy

My journey back to art has been unexpected and deeply personal. I started sketching as a child, inspired by a cousin who lived with us for a year. But life took me in a different direction—science, graduate school, a career, and family. For years, I let art slip away, until a battle with colon cancer in 2012 brought me back to it. In recovery, I took a fabric collage workshop, and suddenly, my creativity reignited. Instead of traditional media, I embraced fabric as my new way of storytelling. I realized that fabric allowed me to add layers not just in a physical sense, but metaphorically, giving depth to the emotions and stories I wanted to share through my work.

"Namaste" is one of my most cherished pieces. It features my beloved aunt, a strong and brilliant woman who has dedicated her life to women's studies and literature. She has always been an inspiration to me, embodying resilience, intelligence, and kindness. When I saw an old black-and-white photograph of her from her student days in Germany, I knew I had to recreate it through fabric. It was a moment of connection, where I felt the weight of her experiences and the culture that shaped her. Using tiny, hand-cut pieces, I brought her portrait to life, capturing her beauty, wisdom, and presence with intricate details. The fabric itself added a sense of texture that traditional sketching or painting couldn't quite achieve, making the portrait feel alive and deeply personal.

For years, "Namaste" hung in my home, welcoming everyone who entered. The piece became more than just a portrait—it was a symbol of hospitality, warmth, and familial love. Every time I looked at it, I felt a sense of grounding, a reminder of where I came from and the incredible women in my life who had shaped me. But recently, I gifted it to my best friend, someone who has been by my side for over 50 years. She knows my aunt well, and it felt right to pass it on as a housewarming gift, a token of our lifelong friendship. She, too, understood the depth of the piece, the story it carried, and the history woven into it.

Fabric collage has become my way of telling stories—whether it's through personal pieces, commissions, or political figures I admire. Each layer represents a memory, a piece of history, or a deeper message. What makes this medium so special to me is its flexibility—if I don’t like something, I can remove it and replace it. It is forgiving, allowing me to continuously refine and redefine my work as I grow. I often incorporate pieces of fabric that carry special meaning, such as textiles from my travels, or prints that represent the history and identity of my subjects. This allows me to create a deeper connection between the art and the person it represents.

"Namaste" means more than just a greeting. To me, it’s an expression of respect, connection, and legacy. It is the acknowledgment of another’s existence, their history, their significance. Through my art, I hope to share that sentiment with the world, to create works that do more than just hang on walls—they tell stories, evoke emotions, and connect people across time and space.

Each piece I create is a labor of love, a dedication to the individuals and cultures that inspire me. And as I continue my journey, I am reminded that art, like life, is ever-evolving. "Namaste" is just one chapter, but it is a chapter that holds profound meaning in my artistic and personal journey.