After having a daughter, I was drawn to examine gender and identity through the memory of objects we are given or assigned as children. Using fairy tales as a jumping off place, SpellBound explores our distaff (or female) legacy – that which is inherently handed down, desired or not, by nature of the female body, cultural expectations, and familial experiences. The exploration asked me to consider what objects and messages were handed down to me via my mother and what are the legacies I want to keep and pass down to my own daughter.

Thorn dress, Rose thorns, mixed media

7 panties, details:                              Bloomers, Rose petals, cotton thread          Sleeping Beauty, Cotton, alphabet pasta            Rose Red, Cotton, ribbon                                Mirror Mirror, Cotton, plastic                        Carriage (Cinderella), Cotton, pumpkin seeds

Extended pinky, Hydrocal, sterling silver, wood

Glass slippers, Cast lead crystal, velvet