Artist’s Statement

Through this developing body of work, I share my experience of being a femme. This is a reaction to a culture that actively oppresses women and children. It is also the beauty of my physical, emotional, and spiritual journey as felt through my chakras (nos. 1-7).

Through my body and fabric, I share my process of self-healing and nourishing. Stitching and working with fabric has been and continues to be primarily women’s work. As a craft, it is feminine, as an art, feminist. Fabric retains the energy of its wearers. By incorporating garments from significant moments or people into my work, I share their energy. I illustrate my own transformations and affect change in my lineage.

Bodies hold memories that the mind may not be able to bear. We are all capable of complete healing. We are capable of kintsukuroi. This term refers to a Japanese process of repairing broken pottery with gold. The mended pot is more valuable, more dear, than if it had remained pristine. Supporting centered femininity in anyone is embodied feminism. Dignification of the feminine principal impacts everything from the political to the spiritual. We cannot succeed collectively, while undermining ourselves. Our treatment of women, is so closely tied to our treatment of the Earth. The feminine is a part of all of us. When we honor it we improve life for ourselves and our lands. Currently our culture is destroying its own foundation. Sexism does not just live in men. We are all connected. There is no pathway to sustainable life on Earth without restoring sovereignty to women, protecting and educating our children, and honoring our Earth.

I will be sharing new artwork to this site on an ongoing basis.

Education

2002 MFA in Photography, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

1999 BA in Studio Art, Smith College, Northampton, MA

Solo Exhibitions

2007 Lily Michaud, Artspace, Iowa City, Iowa

2006 Fly Awake, Muscatine Art Center, Muscatine, Iowa

2004 Spiritual Anatomy, Cornell College, Mount Vernon, Iowa

2002 Red Sky At Night, Harwood Art Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico

2001 On Breathing, University of New Mexico Museum of Art, Jonson Gallery, Albuquerque, New Mexico

2000 Form is Emptiness, University of New Mexico, ASA Gallery, Albuquerque, New Mexico

1999 Recent Works, Hampshire College, Centrum Gallery, Amherst, Massachusetts

Placemaking

Through placemaking I manifest dynamic, interactive community through activity and environmental change.

2019-2021 Hummingbird Street. Community building through interactive education around the magic of the natural world, and community organized and created art.

2011-2016 Fly Awake Tea Garden, Portland, OR. An urban, garden based, community-enriching manifestation of Fly Awake, (works from 2005-2011), exploring lucidity in the waking dream. Exploring lucidity/consciousness shifting through plant medicine and group dream exploration. This took place in a Backyard Habitat, platinum-certified, native garden. Nature education tours and talks provided education on native planting and their use, for a sustainable waking dreamscape.

2013-2014 Beech Street Project, Urban corridor, garden, street paintings, seating, interactive educational resources. This project was created by approximately 250 volunteers.

Honors/Publications

2024 Sou’wester Arts, Artist Residency, Seaview, Washington.

2023 National Center for Child Safety and Awareness Auction, featured artist.

2014 Sotokoto magazine, Ogawa, K., You Are Your City, November 2014, Tokyo, Japan, pp 28-35.

2011 Willamette Week, Best of Portland for Fly Awake Tea Garden, Portland, OR

2010 New York Times, Take a Look Inside My Dream, interview regarding my work leading dream groups.

2001 Tamarind Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico, guest artist.