current statement about my work

Statement

The most vivid memory of the day my Mother died, is the pillow I cried on.

By creating objects that speak of comfort, and also feel comfortable, my work is filling the holes of grief and loss with playful forms and textures.

During sewing, by machine and hand, the connection is either gentle or forceful, creating a dichotomy of control and lack there of. The forms either adapt to my manipulation, or reject it in certain areas, then morphing on their own.

I am sewing because I must mend. I must mend because I feel an obligation to fix, to take care of and to nurture. My recent “soft sculptures” attempt to bring enjoyment to the loss one suffers, creating a soothing and yet humorous environment.

Lyz Preus
February 2008