Artist Statement
Tidbits and Morsels
Tidbits and Morsels is something my grandma always said about me. “Ella and her tidbits and morsels.” Looking back, it was probably just her way of calling me a mess, but this applies perfectly to how I create. These figures and pages are self-portraits made of fabric that I have dyed, screen printed, and woven, along with thrifted and recycled clothing. While making these stitched-together pieces, I thought a lot about transitions and shifts that we go through in life. I thought about home and what I should be doing and how I should be doing it—what I’m doing now.
This collection of work is genuine and honest—I’ve never been good at faking. Whether it’s a mundane scene of my apartment, like how I was so sick I took a bath for the first time in years, or an ode to Mid City Mall before its alleged demise, these pieces are my way of processing things that are happening, big and small. The work connects new and old, here and home, past and present. It’s every tidbit and morsel I could sew together.
