Swamped is part of my on-going body of work combining materials and animation. Embellishment is my studio beacon, and through the process of making and animating I respond to materials and patterns. I think of this as the psychedelic space of making – an experience in an unknown environment, yet somehow familiar. Both a physical geography and a psychological space, to be swamped is to be overwhelmed, to hold surface tension – is it floating or is it sinking?
During the beginning of this project I was commissioned by the Art Gallery of Regina to do a studio video. You can find it here.
Swamped
"Swamped (The Anatomy Lesson) Hand and machine stitched appliqué from drawing on salvaged pashmina
"Swamped (The Anatomy Lesson) detail
Work featured at Galerie Hughes Charbonneau RADAR 2025
Saimaiyu Akesuk, Jordan Bennett, Delali Cofie, Laina Geetah, Majorie Labrèque-Lepage, Xénia Lucie Laffely, Arjun Lal, Jean-Benoit Pouliot, Palaya Qiatsuq, Pitsiulaq Qimirpiq and Caitlin Thompson
initial drawing for Swamped (The Anatomy Lesson)
Fussy-cut appliqué for the beginnings of Swamped (the overwhelm)
Swamped (the overwhelm) Fussy-cut appliqué from dozens of fabrics hand-stitched on black velvet 72" x 44"
Detail of "Swamped (the overwhelm)" Thinking about these metallic designs like kintsugi “held together by gold” while feeling swamped and overwhelmed
Exploring the clay body for animate potential – animate ceramics.
These two hand-built sculptures (Drifter and Mumbles) were designed to perform a repetitive movement.
"Mumbles" These works were part of my studio research at Quickdraw Animation Society, and were animated using The Animator Cube.
The Animator Cube is a multi-axis motion-controlled cage for stop-motion animation suspended on a motorized track system.
I continued to animate several more works at QAS, working with repeating patterns and replacement animation.
"Swamped (eye roll)" was featured in Interlaced: Animation & Textiles, the first major exhibition dedicated to the reciprocal relationship between these two artforms. Curated by Alla Gadassik for the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre in New Plymouth, Aotearoa, New Zealand Faig Ahmed (Azerbaijan), Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley (UK), Jon Michael Corbett (Canada), Kelly Egan (Canada), Sione Faletau (Aotearoa, Tonga), Footprints Studio (UK), Sabrina Gschwandtner (USA), Marguerite Harris (France), Len Lye (Aotearoa), Aubrey Longley-Cook (USA), Jodie Mack (USA), Huw Messie (USA), Lindsay McIntyre (Canada), Miracle de Mille (France), Ng'endo Mukii (USA), Kate Nartker (USA), Ishu Patel (Canada), Pathé Studio (UK), Izabella Pruska-Oldenhof (Canada), Harry Smith (USA), Caitlin Thompson (Canada), Vaimaila Urale (Aotearoa, Samoa), Jennifer West (USA), Jordan Wong (USA), Shaheer Zazai (Canada), Studio Zeitguised (Germany)
Alla Gadassik writes in her book Animation and Textiles: “Embracing granny-chic aesthetics of floral pastels and patterns, the composition rolls its eyes at gendered politics of taste discernment that mark domestic crafts as unsophisticated or old-fashioned amusements.”
In Full Bloom ATB Branch for Arts + Culture alongside Christa Kahl, Day Pajarillo, Daylynn Drever L.C. Cariou, Melissa Petrinack, Miriam Fabijan Mohar Gupta, Saloni Sharma, Samantha Charette Stephanie Onespot, Tara Vahab, Tararuum Rahnuma and Teresa Posyniak
material inspiration from printed silk scarves, fussy cut and hand-stitched like a reverse-puzzle appliqué
Fuse33 Makerspace Artist in Residence 2025 I was able to learn 3D printing and laser welding to build mechatronic elements for two textile pieces – Slub and Puddles
My notes and drawings to determine the spiral path for a cam and follower based on a nautilus gear.
Slub Fussy-cut silk appliqué panels with a custom 3D printed nautilus cam and follower mounted to a motor.
Modeling the start of "Puddles". Each paillette was hand crimped with a jump ring to the netting substrate.
3D designed and printed skull for "Puddles"
Puddles is designed to accommodate the movement of a linear actuator with limit switches attached to a mount underneath