When I first arrived from the United States, I was inspired by the ubiquitous grays of the Burren’s landscape and I was intrigued by the use of high-reflective tape to signify safety and caution. I further sought to capture the unique silver, sparkling light of Ireland and this led me to working with broken glass. Initially, I researched the history of Irish lace and was moved by its power and symbolism. I then gravitated towards military camouflage, exploring the nature of visibility and invisibility. For my final installation, I have reassembled my work to evoke the clouds and precipitation of the landscape I see around me.

Over this very productive year, I have developed a body of work experimenting with concepts of militarism, gender roles, and history. I came to see history as something that is endlessly recycled where moments of the past continue to haunt the present. I saw small environmental victories in our approach to trash and analogies for our human condition in rubbish. Can we be more thoughtful about what we keep and what we throw away? Can we only repeat what has come before or can we invent new futures?

I will not be able to finish the second year of the MFA program at BCA due to problems we encountered obtaining visas for family, yet my time here has been very rewarding and I am grateful for the experience.

All photos by Rob Carlson