I’m excited to share that this 9 panel grid will be debuting at the Goxxip Girl Collective’s first exhibit of 2026, called Sacraments. The show is at the Main Gallery at Creative Alliance in Baltimore and the opening reception is this Friday, 6-9 pm.
When the call for art came out fro the collective I looked up the definition of “sacraments”. Having grown up in the Catholic church, of course, I knew the word, but if asked, could I give a definition of it? I knew they marked important aspects of growing up in the Christian religion, like baptism, communion, marriage, etc. But other than that, I only had a vague idea of a definition.
When I looked up the definition, it said: A sacrament is a visible, sacred ritual or act (like baptism or communion) that represents an inner spiritual reality and serves as a tangible sign of faith and a pledge of God’s covenant. In simple terms, it’s an outward sign (water, bread, words) of an inward, unseen spiritual blessing (grace, forgiveness). But very simply the word means holy thing. And then consequently, worship practices that are holy.
I actually made this grid in the latter part of 2025. I was in midst of preparing for my November show and then I got this urge to make these 8×8 inch panels. It was like a whirlwind. It started with the rusted circle and the bent oval metal thing and then I couldn’t stop! A long time ago I started wrapping these found metal objects with waxed linen thread. I found it comforting and it reminded me of my sister who had special needs. She used to take objects and wrap them with yarn as a form of physical therapy after she had had a stroke. I used to help her when I was little with handing her the yarn or scissors. I had hung up these wrapped rusted metal bits simply on a nail stuck into my studio wall. I guess somehow in the midst of the making work for my November show, I decided to attach them to panels and give them a more permanent home.
Those two panels led to nine. And the title “Walking this Earth”. I feel that walking this earth is a holy thing. For all of us. Taking these mundane discarded elements and putting them on a panel as a tribute to the things that are discarded or overlooked. Prayers of gratitude for things simple, ordinary and earthy.
I have a second piece in this exhibit, I’ve Been Birthed May Times Over, that is made of salvaged textiles. One of the fabrics in it came from a baptismal gown.
