Grass Works, 2022
Plots of Grass and Portraits of Grass

Plots of Grass
seed beads and felt
4 1/2” x 4 1/2”

Portraits of Grass
Miyuki and toho beads on linen
14 1/8" x 19 1/8"

For the past few years I have begun a new body of work focusing on grass, and other crops such as wheat, barley, and oats, that have been used as colonial space taking tools. These crops are strategically placed to guide movement, elevate status, signal respectable use of land, and point to morality, purity and cleanliness. The experience of making these extremely laborious sculptures has inspired me to think deeply about how land is used in North America and how it’s tied to moral responsibilities and settler colonial laws and by-laws.

Plot of Grass is a series of four beaded sculptures using felt and seed beads. They are pieces I made to experiment and think through monocultures and their place in Canada’s colonial history.

Portraits of Grass are three beaded pieces that depict tufts of grass that I pulled from my front yard (mostly consisting of clover). These works are an extension and in conversation with Plot. They are playful and humorous, thinking about plants as portraits.

photo credit: Steve Farmer