Velvet
In Velvet and many of the other large rose petal installations, rose petals are pinned to fabric or to the wall to create dimensional forms or yards of velvety fabric. In all the pieces, body references are apparent: streams of blood flowing out from the wall, a pumping heart, vein-like tendrils at the top of a curtain. The labour-intensive process of pinning suggests such activities as needlework and sewing, imbuing such "women's work" with value and integrity. The rose petals serve as gifts of love and symbols of mourning; blood drops, flaps of flesh, and ephemeral bits of nature at the end of a life cycle.
