Correspondence

Correspondence is a collection of pieces integrating photography with traditional and contemporary textile art techniques, currently on display at the Marta Hewett Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio.

From the artist: "Correspondence explores surfaces and the messages they carry. The side of a boxcar contains meaning: layers of rust, paint and graffiti from across the country speak to us about identity, community, mortality and profanity. In this collection I dig deep into the surface and bring these messages forward while adding yet another layer of correspondence—my own."

Water to Sky

Abby created this piece based on a vision she had in an airplane at 33,000 feet. Her largest work to date, Water to Sky stands at 10-feet tall. It is made entirely from reclaimed fabrics.

Botanicals

Emily Dickinson had specific requests for her funeral; to be laid out in the library, carried by pallbearers through her beloved Homestead, out the backdoor into the garden that gave her so much joy and inspiration, and down to the graveyard via a buttercup field.  Abby created She Departed Through the Back Door to represent Dickinson's last trip through that door, into that garden, on to the “Death I never feared.”  

Using a re-purposed old screen door as her embroidery frame, Abby created flora using various textiles, capitalizing on their unique qualities. This led her to develop a series of word and flower combinations, each created using reclaimed screens.

Microhabitats

Using mint tins, Abby combines phrases and magnetic charms to create fantastical little worlds. The pieces themselves are magnetic, making them perfect fridge art.

Adrift in the Wonderland

Moby Dick is, admittedly, not typically recognized as a feminist novel. It is left, then, to the female reader to claim her place in the work, finding characters and story lines to hold on to so as to find deeper meaning. Abby does this by relating to Queequeg, the Polynesian prince-turned-harpooner, and the whale itself. Both are unique within their community, both are often misunderstood, and both are simultaneously hunting while being hunted. In Queequeg, Abby relates to the warrior within, as well as the story of his life and peoples' history tattooed into his skin. In the whale she relates to the mysterious creature who similarly carries the scars of his life etched into his skin. It is the whale's insistence in surviving that makes him the true hero of this story.

From the show Adrift in the Wonderworld: Women Make Meaning of Moby-Dick at the Marta Hewett Gallery, April23–May30 2016

Maker Faire

For the inaugural Cincinnati Maker Faire, Abby created a giant monster, Stompy McThumperton. Created using a reclaimed couch, Stompy also has yoga balls in his hands, perfect for sitting on. You can still find Stompy hanging out at Bloodline Merchants in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Emoji

Abby created this series for an emoji-themed show at Rock Paper Scissors Gallery. She used original photography taken in the gallery's own neighborhood as a backdrop for interesting combinations of common emojis. 

Joy-ridden

Be riddled with joy. Celebrate life. All of it. The reason to celebrate is here and now and everywhere. And then spread your joy around so others can revel in it.

This gathering of needle-worked photos and assemblages is a little glimpse at how Abby looks at the world. Her intent is to be more conscious of the present, to appreciate every glorious moment surrounding her. As her focus shifts away from herself and onto all the beauty she moves through every single day, she sees something amazing around every corner. Take a look around you. What do you see?