San Juan Islands

 I loved the excitement of going away for my sophomore year of college at Seattle Pacific College. My roommate, Cindy and I traveled to many places in and around Seattle but I never made it to San Juan Island. All these years later, I am vicariously discovering the island and it's iconic Lime Kiln Lighthouse thanks to a piece commissioned by Dianne Root.

Dianne and her family chose an image of San Juan Island State Park, a place that holds  sweet memories for her family and her parents, Mary Ann and Andy McDonnell. 

It's the largest piece I have worked on to date. Made from discarded clothing and household textiles, it will contain dozens of unknown stories of the people who made the textiles, and used them. Also wound throughout the image's rocks, water, lighthouse and sky will be the stories connected to the textiles from the Root family. Dianne has sent me sweaters and shirts from her mother, who has passed away, collars from beloved pets, her children's baby blanket and dad's handkerchief. 

Follow along with me as the story of the Lime Kiln Lighthouse on San Juan Island emerges strip by strip and fold by fold.