PORTFOLIO

I was gifted a couple of sets of vintage and used rifle targets and decided to use them in my work.

In one series I mended targets that had been shot - each target uses a different colorway and a different stitch. These targets sat in my drawers for a long time. The violence of the bullet holes frightened me immesely. One day it occured to me that I should just mend them - that would counteract the horror and make them a beautiful object yet again.

In another series I painted small pieces of rifle targets with watercolor depictions of plants that can be use to stop bleeding, or are helpful in wound care. I was envisioning them as a how to save yourself field guide if you were shot in the woods.

In another series I cozied the target to render it harmless, or I sewed a pattern on top of the pattern to emphasize the decorative nature of the target.

In one final series I wanted to talk about gun usage. In thinking about hunting I wanted to depict the animals in a traditional manner - the silhouette, but in an untraditional colorway. On each target one animal is placed where a shot on the target would be fatal. each animal is also outlined by a series of pinholes - the act of sewing without its mending capabilities - highlighting the perilous situation.

I also started to "quilt" target pieces together making them a bit larger and increasing their wall power.