TOSS Artist in Residence Summer 2026

I am so incredibly excited to share that I’ve been awarded the 2026 Summer Artist Residency (CIRCULARITY @PLAY) at TOSS in Morganton! This residency, will keep me busy from June through August 8th, when I’ll be unveiling three large-scale, site-specific sculptures at the annual Tossing event.

I’m really looking forward to the freedom this time will give me to fully immerse myself in the process and grow as an artist. I’ll be creating these pieces using recycled yarns—generously provided by the folks at Material Return—along with other repurposed materials, and I plan to document the whole journey as I go. Stay tuned for updates !

artist statement

Original artist statement:

For this project, I am creating three large sculptural vessels that represent the Past,

the Present, and my hope for the Future of the textile industry. The "Past" vessel

honors old traditions and the memories held in the fabric. The "Present" looks at

the waste we create in our world today. The "Future" represents a sustainable

industry—a world where less might truly be more.

This work was inspired by a dream—a literal vision of turning long, winding coils

into sculptural works of art. Getting from that dream to reality required patience

and plenty of trial and error, the result is a series of pieces that sit at the

intersection of craft and sculpture. The vessels still carry the essence of a basket,

but they are starting to take on a life of their own.

My visit to Materials Return before the residency started gave me a valuable

perspective on the materials available to me. While my original plan had to shift, I

was able to pivot and reimagine the project while staying true to its core focus and

integrity.

Revised artist statement:

For this project, I have created three large sculptural vessels that represent the past,

the present, and my hope for the future of the textile industry.

The "Past" vessel honors old traditions and the memories held in fabric, made

entirely from repurposed clothing and joined together by t-shirt yarn to create

strength and structure.

The "Present" looks at the waste we create in our world today. Formed as a sphere

made out of interconnected circles, the piece is intentionally unfinished when

looked at closely—it is missing a portion to show that the process is far from

complete. This piece was finished with the help of the Morganton community atSummer Tossing, where more than 60 people collaborated with me to create long

coils to weave through the sculpture.

The "Future" represents a sustainable industry—a world where less might truly be

more. I also incorporated hand spun hemp in this piece, a renewable and

sustainable source of fiber that, hopefully, will be coming back to Morganton to

help revitalize the local textile industry.

This work was inspired by a dream—a literal vision of turning long, winding coils

into sculptural works of art. Getting from that dream to reality required patience

and plenty of trial and error, the result is a series of pieces that sit at the

intersection of craft and sculpture. The vessels still carry the essence of a basket,

but they have taken on a life of their own.

the final project

The Past

Materials: Twisted polypropylene rope, t-shirt yarn, upcycled clothing
Description: This piece represents a classic vessel, constructed from shapes made entirely from repurposed clothing, joined together by t-shirt yarn to create strength and structure. The symmetry gives the piece a sense of stability, inviting reflection on how people would instinctively reuse and repurpose materials out of necessity, as textiles were expensive and not considered disposable, as they are now.

The Present

Materials: Twisted polypropylene rope, t-shirt yarn, upcycled clothing
Description: For this piece, I chose to focus heavily on circularity. The modern textile industry is largely out of control, but organizations like Materials Return are working to address the massive amount of waste produced today. Formed as a sphere made out of interconnected circles, the piece is intentionally unfinished when looked at closely—it is missing a portion to show that the process is far from complete. Vast amounts of textiles still end up in landfills, and even at recycling centers, materials emain bound by non-recyclable yellow polypropylene rope. However, because I am hopeful for the future, I wove three long coils made by community members into the piece to represent our collective strength.

The Future

Materials: Hemp yarn, textile recycling waste, T-shirt yarn, yellow polypropylene cording
Description: This inverted basket represents the future possibilities of the textile industry right here in Morganton. I had a friend spin hemp—which I was told is one of the key agricultural industries that could help revitalize the local textile economy—into yarn to create the primary structure of the basket. The remaining materials consist mostly of waste from the recycling process. I also chose to leave the yellow cording exposed as a visible reminder of the present work still left to be done.

Past-Present-Future

For this project, I am creating three large sculptural vessels that represent the Past, the Present, and my hope for the Future of the textile industry. The "Past" vessel honors old traditions and the memories held in the fabric. The "Present" looks at the waste we create in our world today. The "Future" represents a sustainable industry—a world where less might truly be more.

This work was inspired by a dream—a literal vision of turning long, winding coils into sculptural works of art. Getting from that dream to reality required patience and plenty of trial and error, the result is a series of pieces that sit at the intersection of craft and sculpture. The vessels still carry the essence of a basket, but they are starting to take on a life of their own.