The thimble is the central object within this investigation of sculptures and drawings. Though its practical function has become somewhat obsolete despite sewing's resurgence, it remains a potent symbol of labor, protection, intimacy, and gender. I am interested in how this small object accumulates and inherits meaning, and how a collective of repeated forms can evoke memory, identity, and human presence. This series began at the start of the pandemic, and its arrangements, relationships, and symbols reflect that cultural moment.
Thimble on a seamstress yard is a series of resin-cast thimble sculptures pierced with pins and adorned with fabric scraps that are arranged on a shelf. The arrangement stages a gathering of anthropomorphic thimble figures. Cast from family heirlooms and thimbles gathered over time, the forms carry both personal histories and traces of anonymous lives. During a period of isolation, these sculptures became a way for me to imagine people interacting while reflecting on the distance that had suddenly emerged between them. Through subtle variations and playful arrangements, ordinary sewing tools transform into characters that embody humor, vulnerability, confidence, and eccentricity. The shelf functions as both a stage and a boundary, emphasizing the relationships between the figures and the space that separates them.
In both my digital drawings and sculptures, I use the thimble as a vehicle for anthropomorphism. The Solo-Thimble iPad drawings focus on the individual, isolating the object to explore themes of superstition, desire, microcosms, cosmoses, and the human body. The Thimble Congregations expand this inquiry through groups and gatherings, exploring how proximity, spacing, and arrangement create the impression of personalities, communities, and social dynamics. Together, the solitary and collective works mirror the tension between isolation and connection that shaped their beginnings. Imagery applied to the thimbles reflects cultural moments, personal associations, and collective anxieties, inviting viewers to consider their own perspectives in relation to the work.