The series Altered was inspired by my photographs I took on my recent travels to tide pools along the California Coast. I found myself mesmerized by the ebb and flow of the water at low tide, as it moved around and over the rocks, seaweed and marine life. The rhythmic motion of the waves as it flowed into the shore and then back out, hypnotized me into a peaceful trance.  I noticed, that with each wave that came to shore, the entire landscape of these tide pools I was exploring shifted, changed and became altered. What I observed in one moment was changed in the next.

I found the natural assemblages that the tides left on shore and in the tide pools beautiful and inspiring.  The unique shapes, textures and colors inspired me to create this series.

I altered the original photo on my computer. The image is then printed onto a piece of silk or cotton. I intensify each altered image using a vibrant colored thread to enhance or distort the original shape or image. I use a free form motion technique on my sewing machine that alters the stitch, which allows me to work across the surface in an intuitive and free flowing manner.  I call this technique, “Thread Painting”. I found while doing this technique, it created the same hypnotic, rhythmic experience I had while exploring the tide pools. The altered stitching on these pieces created their own patterns and rhythms. The embellished images are then place onto a hand-dyed piece of fabric, stitched and bound to a canvas to give it a solid structure and strong foundation. The dot, is the final embellishment that creates it’s own unique pattern and language.

What was once an original image has now been Altered using the process of technology, dye, stitch, paint and a series of patterns of dots to create a new image and thought form.