Amelia Marlatt - Small World

04/13/2026

Here are the photos I took of my finished small world installation on the inside. I still need to take some photos of the outside but have been thinking on the best place to do it. I will also try to get a little person and take some more photos of the inside with that for scale. I will try to get photos of that on Tuesday hopefully or if not by Sunday (since I am unsure of having time toward the end of the week with the workshop).

In the future I think I will take more photos again as well because I would like to go and try to fix the inside crack a little bit better and paint the chipboard I used to fill the gap.

03/22/26

I'll be honest when I say I didn't get that much work done on my miniature world. Last Thursday I used the laser to cut out some templates to make stairs, which I then painted (after realizing I should have painted the chip board BEFORE cutting out the templates oops). I then used some super glue to glue them together and I am really happy with how they turned out.

I also finished painting the inside of the wardrobe case. I wanted to have it look similar to concrete walls and feel I was successful in that. I used dry brushing on both the stairs and inside of the wardrobe and then used a damp paper towel to rub it around, which I found a good technique.

I also tried to create some structures from chip board and plaster gauze. These were to be covered in felt and flocking. However, my dog ended up accidently getting ahold of two of them so I ended up remaking them out of some styrofoam I had left over from a package I had.

I have also started working on the felted parts that will cover the foam/chip board shapes, and am going to continue on that.

rip ^

glued one eye open and one eye shut

03/08/26

I have taken apart the baby and after placing it inside found I will most likely only be useing the head and one arm and leg taking into account the space. There is a wooden piece on the bottom of the baby head that I would like to move in some way so I can fill the inside of the head.

I also painted the inside of the wardrobe case white. I am now trying to decide if I keep the inside white or paint it more a grayish color to resemble more of a concrete interior. Either way I don't want the inside walls to be any sort of focal point within this piece.

I have also create some vector outlines so I can use to laser cutter to make the stairs. I made two different kinds of stairs and am going to put both together and decide which I like best then.

 03/01/26

Artist Inspo:

Gohar Dashti

I first saw Dashti’s photography in a museum as was immediately drawn to it. After researching her I found her body work titled Home. I loved the way she captured the feeling of absence (in relation to hu an life) alongside this duality of growth (from the plant life). These photographs very much capture the feeling I would like to create within this project. 

Ideas: 

For my small world I have chosen the doll wardrobe that Ashley had from a previous installation course. At first i thought it was a tool box but after learning it was a doll wardrobe, I wanted to continue with the environmental route I have been taking.  Found a baby doll I would like to take apart and place within the wardrobe. I want this piece to comment on the idea that Lon after we are gone nature will reclaim everything around us. I plan on using mainly flocking and doing some needle felting. I am also thinking about using some of the crochet forms I have used in my past works. I don’t want this piece to necessarily make the viewer think negatively or positively about the environment or our impact, but rather just be an art work people can sit with and come to their own conclusion. This is very much opposite of my THIS gallery installation, but for this project I would rather focus on the materials of the piece rather than the message behind it. 

I didn’t draw the baby parts inside the box because I was unsure exactly where I would want to place them and didn’t want to make the decision until I could physically move them around within the box.

Amelia,

Thank you for the update. I appreciate your honesty about where you are in the process — that’s important. Hopefully you got some rest and a break.

There are some strong material decisions happening here. The stairs seem successful, and your approach to surface (dry brushing, rubbing back with a damp towel) is working well conceptually with the concrete feel. That kind of attention to finish will matter in a piece like this.

The direction of nature reclaiming the space is also compelling. The connection you’re making to Gohar Dashti’s work — particularly the sense of absence paired with growth — is a strong conceptual anchor. Stay with that.

That said, I want to push you on a few things:

First, time and progress. You noted that you didn’t get much done, and we’re at a point where that needs to shift. This project relies on accumulation — the more you build, the more convincing the environment becomes. You need to increase production this week.

Second, composition. Right now, it sounds like you are still making parts without fully resolving how they exist together. The placement of the baby elements is critical. This cannot feel random. Think carefully about:

• Where the head sits

• How the body fragments relate to the space

• Whether they feel abandoned, integrated, or overtaken

The decision to only use parts of the body is a good one — but it needs to feel intentional, not just spatially convenient.

Third, the interior color. You said you don’t want the walls to be a focal point, which is good. In that case, choose the option that best supports the atmosphere. A slightly gray, concrete-like tone will likely reinforce the sense of abandonment more than bright white. White risks flattening the space.

Fourth, materials. Be mindful that styrofoam, felt, flocking, and crochet can easily start to compete with each other. Make sure they are all serving the same environment. Right now, ask yourself: does everything feel like it belongs in the same world?

Finally, push the environment further. Right now, you have:

• Stairs

• Walls

• Forms

• Baby fragments

What will make this feel alive (or overtaken)? Is it density? Is it creeping growth? Is it subtle detail? The success of this piece will depend on how fully you commit to that transformation.

You have a strong concept and some good material instincts. Now you need to bring it together with more urgency and clearer decisions.

Let’s look at layout in person next class so we can lock in composition.

Amelia Marlatt - Site Specific

 04/13/26

For this project I had decided to focus more on a piece that fits within my environmental body of work. Ashley suggested I look at Richard M. Brown's work titled The Other Side of the Earth. After looking at this piece as well as some of his other pieces I was drawn to multiple things. Firstly I was drawn to the way he uses geometric and hard lines. This contrasts greatly against the natural element as these works are slowly overgrown throughout time. I also am really interested in the usage of passage of time in his work, especially within the work titled Dirt Clock.

Idea:

For this idea I am continuing to push the concepts in both my BFA work and the other two installations I have made this semester. I would like this work to focus on the long lasting materials found within items we often over consume (clothes, toys, wrappers, blind boxes, makeup, memorabilia, etc.). Within this work I would like to create a large packed cube of dirt representing sediment layers throughout time. The layers first start of seemingly normal but over time as we get to the top of the cube, the layers are filled with now-garabage. I want to have recognizable items like baby dolls, small toys, blind box items, clothing with tags from places like SHIEN and Zara, etc. 

For my location I wanted to choose an outdoor shopping mall. Outdoor shopping centers are used much more in the US now than indoor malls. I also did some research into which outdoor malls get the best foot traffic. I came down to three choices but ended up choosing The Grove in LA. This is an incredibly popular shopping area for not only the average person, but also for tourists visiting as well as influencers and celebrities. I think the group of influencers is one of the main reasons that makes this an important site as in todays day and age, many brands grow through the internet and especially by doing brand deals with influencers. I would also like to place it in this grassy seating area. This is a place where people are able to also sit down with the piece and reflect on what it means and what they are choosing to purchase.

I also had a similar idea with the same surrounding concept and location, but rather than a large compact cube of sedimentary layers, there was a grass covered mound. Part of this mound would be lifted up and back (almost like a layer of skin) and underneath it would be revealed to be filled with "trash" aka more of the items that I listed would be integrated within the sediment layers. I am working on sketching this one but wanted to get the idea up now.

04/05/26

Artist Inspo:

Tracey Emin

This work by Tracey Emin titled My Bed, is a very raw work that I feel creates similar feelings to what I hope to evoke with my site specific. Not only am I drawn to the concept behind this work, but also the use of simple every day materials to recreate such a vulnerable space.

Carolee Schneemann

I discovered the second image first and was immediately drawn to it. After trying to figure out the artists I found that it must be the recreation of a performance piece done by Carolee Schneemann (as seen in the first image). I first had this artist for an idea I had revolving around the materialistic project. 

Project Ideas:

My original idea was to transform the inside of my bedroom into the inside of my head. I want to create a work that represents my overwhelming thoughts and show it in a more physical sense. Before knowing the site specific project was going to be more of a proposal I had planned for this work to be in my bedroom. I am not sure if that would still fall within the project guidelines so instead I thought maybe this was a work where I 'rebuilt' my bedroom elsewhere, similar to the work My Bed. 

I want this work to be simple in materials, using only paper and string. The paper will be covering the walls and objects within the bedroom with strings strung through out them in between walls and objects. This would make it difficult to move 100% freely within the space but it would be able to be seen from the doorway, or from the surroundings of the bedroom objects if this were to placed in a different building. The notes would be covered in writing simply of my thoughts and what I call my 'anxiety spirals'. 

So if I were to consider this idea in another room besides my own bedroom, I would consider having a bed, nightstand, dresser, possibly a false wall or two, in order to recreate the feeling of being inside a bedroom.

Madelynn Kulmus - Site Specific

4/13/2026

This week marked a shift from observation into creation, as I began translating my site research into visual and conceptual proposals. I developed two initial sketches, one for the Berry Center butterfly path and one for the Mel Cox Dance Studio, each responding in very different ways to the environments I encountered last week.

For the Berry Center, I found myself returning to the butterfly path and thinking about its seasonal limitations. When I visited, there were no butterflies present, yet the space is clearly designed to celebrate them. This absence sparked the core idea behind my installation: what if the presence of butterflies could be felt year-round, regardless of season? In my sketch, I centered the installation around a large cocoon form placed within the circular seating area. The cocoon is tethered both to the ground and to the surrounding trees, creating a sense of tension and transformation that extends beyond a single object. Conceptually, the cocoon represents potential and becoming a suspended moment before emergence. I’m interested in how this form might suggest unseen life or imminent change, allowing viewers to imagine the presence of butterflies even when they are not physically there. It builds on the site’s existing themes of nature and education, while also introducing a more symbolic and immersive layer.

In contrast, my proposal for the Mel Cox Dance Studio focuses less on representation and more on activating the invisible dynamics already present in the space. Inspired by installation artist Ernesto Neto and choreographer William Forsythe, I began exploring how material, movement, and environment could intersect. This installation, Breath Held / Breath Released, consists of translucent fabrics suspended from the ceiling throughout the studio. While visually minimal, these materials are highly responsive, they shift, billow, and tremble in response to airflow, proximity, and the movement of bodies.

What excites me about this concept is how it reframes the studio itself. Dancers already occupy this space daily, but the installation would make their presence newly visible by capturing the traces of their movement. Breath becomes a central focus: something usually internal and unseen is externalized through the motion of the fabric. In this way, the installation creates a kind of secondary choreography, one generated not by deliberate steps, but by the residual energy of bodies moving through space. It also invites non-dancers to engage physically, transforming viewers into participants whose subtle actions activate the work.

Across both proposals, I’m noticing a shared interest in suspension whether it’s the cocoon holding a moment before transformation or the fabric capturing the space between inhale and exhale. Both ideas attempt to make something intangible feel present, whether that’s seasonal absence or the invisibility of breath and movement.

Moving forward, I want to continue refining these concepts by thinking more concretely about materials, scale, and audience interaction. I’m especially interested in how each installation might change over time, whether through environmental conditions or repeated use. As I develop these ideas further, I plan to create more sketches and began measuring the spaces for the small-scale models.

4/6/2026

This weekend ended up being busier than I expected, but I still made time to begin exploring ideas for my new site-specific project. I took a walk around the University of Wyoming campus with my fiancé, who knows the area much better than I do, so I let him lead the way and focused on observing the spaces we moved through.

We started by parking on 9th and walking up past the STEM center and surrounding science buildings. One of the first locations that caught my attention was an entryway I photographed. There was something about the structure and framing of the space that immediately felt like it could support an installation. 

From there, we walked along a butterfly path near the Berry Center, which ended up being one of the most compelling areas of the entire walk. I took a couple photos of the central seating area that features bronze animal sculptures accompanied by informational placards. This space stood out to me because it already invites pause and reflection, but it also feels like it could be transformed into something more immersive. The circular layout and existing elements create a natural focal point, and I can already imagine how an installation could build on the themes of nature, education, and interaction that are already present.

We continued past the Education Lab Building, where I noticed another seating area that has potential, though it felt slightly less defined than the previous space. Still, I’m interested in how more open or undefined areas might allow for greater flexibility in design, especially if I want to create something that evolves as people move through it.

Finally, we made our way down to the conservatory. After stopping to read the placard there, I was struck by the open grassy area beyond it. Compared to the more structured spaces earlier in the walk, this area felt expansive and full of possibility. It would allow for a larger-scale installation, something that could interact with the natural environment more directly having wind, light, and movement becoming part of the piece itself.

Overall, this initial exploration was less about settling on one final site and more about starting to see the campus differently. I found myself thinking about how people already use these spaces, what draws them in, and how an installation could either enhance or disrupt those patterns. Each location offered something unique, and I’m excited to continue developing ideas that respond not just to the physical environment, but to the experiences already embedded within it.

Looking ahead, I plan to start translating these observations into sketches later this week, using the photos I took as a foundation for developing more concrete design ideas. I also want to continue my exploration by moving indoors and investigating how interior spaces might function differently for a site-specific work. I’m especially interested in photographing the Buchanan Center lobby and the Engineering Building, both of which I think could offer unique architectural features and spatial dynamics to respond to. Exploring these interiors will help me consider how lighting, circulation, and enclosure might shape the experience of an installation in ways that differ from the outdoor sites I’ve been drawn to so far.

Bethany - Materialistic

April 13

This week I finished cutting out and sewing together. The thicker fabric ended up being a lot easier to work with than the thinner one, so that made everything faster. The more I sewed, the better I got at it as well. I also fixed one of the cutting guides that was a little small, and that helped everything layout better. There were still some edges that were funky, I think because of tension or something, but I decided to just trim some of those edges off to be a little cleaner.

Keely and I installed yesterday, and it went very smoothly. I think the hardest part was just gridding everything out the be equally spaced and of the same height. We decided to put the panels with the different fabric in the corners, which looks really nice. I picked out a sound that I thought was not too aggressive of a wind sound, so I just need to add that in to finish it off. 

April 6

This week I worked on cutting out fabric and sewing it together. This fabric is pretty difficult to work with, so it’s taking a little bit of extra time at every step. My pieces are also not lining up as nicely as they are supposed to. I can’t figure out why, because it fits on one end but not the other. I think I might trim off some of the weird edges. The new fabric the Ashley got me is stiffer than the first one, so I think it will be easier to sew than these were. 

So far, I am almost finished with the four innermost panels. I hope to make 8 more in total. Since I have two kinds of fabric, I think I will put the thinner ones on the inside grid and the thicker on the outside. Keely helped me make a lot of progress on cutting out, so next week should be just a lot of pinning, ironing, and sewing.

I still need to decide on how I will hang them up. I think sewing a strip on the top might give them some more structure and then I can just hang them from either corner with the fishing line. Otherwise, I could add room for a dowel or piece of wood to be fed through the top.

March 26

This week I finally tested out my templates to make sure all my conversions were correct. This was a good choice because one of my templates was measured wrong and I switched up which square size was for what. After some trouble shooting, I fixed all my measurements, and I’m ready to start cutting out fabric.

I also got to go to the international quilt museum in Lincoln, NE and see one of the installations from earlier in my blog by Racheal Hayes. I didn’t know that was going to be there, so I was very excited. I got to see how it was installed and how it was sewn because it’s visible from multiple levels of the building.

 

March 12

Edited materials list:

Cut wood, Mp3 player,

White crystal organza fabric 18 yards - est $50

        o   https://fabricwholesaledirect.com/products/crystal-organza-59-60-inch-fabric

Fishing wire to hang panels= est. $6

https://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Acejoz-Invisible-Hanging-Supports/dp/B08KZPHDPY/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=3Q5PBPY4N9CQ6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.-N2ir471lhmfcFyk1-4zJCazpc0sSmXb0tx5rbuseDmcghaBV-RdGpEpq1kCpR5CoBG_-sO46HUABp9RsK5JRyzdqwu4dy6uzCRufmp2SXjDJn9SLygRPqwvyDp2it-qtqYKXSkV9yZOSLHWMYPRlMHIOR4xDw7A0r8XdlrTG05MV9n-31RNhIuzglguDN0Mb2zXyeksF3sAV3KpfpQzxoOyVkF6cAJnPz4eixvkzsDz_plwBu_fEU6RPq0BOl3B96q67uFw738luUIa_JPkyghv_r7D3BMCwpMoPqpZK6E.Ohl7Txsk6kUDja23wEuuIDO0smFxDASglBihG4el7Io&dib_tag=se&keywords=fishing+line&qid=1773336218&sprefix=Fish%2Caps%2C202&sr=8-3-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 Correct needle for fabric type $8.88

        oamazon.com

Thread $8: https://www.amazon.com/Mandala-Crafts-White-Heavy-Thread/dp/B09P5QHM4W/ref=sr_1_5_sspa?crid=2SM7G3NZD0LM5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.p_qK4FPP_4LFpFNXsBeMDKw7g9CaWV0S3AueHSWgNnkZqjYtjAJavJiUJl-ka3vYYF_xpYTechO1kyIMLyQiHzaT1gBDLU50DWNkWpWtAzMpaE24PGoMEE0OFAnF9rAupNQ-O0ECgExy12_pBwBhrHKYmihn5326oP-cyIqr0GgUBkmF7ETVVXZ0TWfJUPbo5G2S4PAEvPVbju7LRym6xfPH_x2cFh0kFVSI_xallOJszVwequpozq-VoxX4kHMcaj8lPsiDlJTF8WYDKxBU6YKU16ecx8gAJLft9-pqIfg.41MWP_Phkx9JXTjizvmt13zvOjQLxZ5d-v-p1KyvBUo&dib_tag=se&keywords=80wt+2-ply+cottonized+polyester+thread+white&qid=1773335770&sprefix=80wt+2-ply+cottonized+polyester+thread+white%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-5-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

March 2

I didn’t get to work as much this week so I don’t have as much to report, but I got a few things done. First, I looked through my excel sheet to figure out the conversion factor for the individual pieces I will need to cut out for the pattern. I had a funky number, so I rounded a bit. Then, I cut out cardboard guides for each of the pieces. I cut out fabric from that to double check that everything is right, but I haven’t had the chance to sew it up yet. If I need to edit the size of the guides I can do that after I sew it up. I  I think I will cover the edges of the cardboard with tape before using them for cutting.

I think I may need a new blade for my rotary cutter, too. It was not cutting very well on my mock ups. 

I’m worried I may not have enough to fill the space based on my number of houses. I am considering having just blank fabric hanging in between if needed to bulk the fabric use up.

Feb 19

This week, I made four sewing mock-ups to settle on a pattern and figure out how much fabric I would need.

First, I used this pattern. I unfortunately lost this sample, but I learned a lot of issues with sewing this type of fabric. I also wanted to make a bigger version to see if that made things easier.

Next, I made the no-seam version of the pattern twice as big. I used a flat-felled seam so there wouldn’t be a raw side. I thought I would like this better, but I found it really difficult to make straight lines and I actually liked the raw side more. I also realized with this version that the lines look strange without color.

Then, I decided to try just stitching the house shape. This was surprisingly hard to do, and it looks a little cartoony. It would be a good back up, but I don’t like it as much.

Finally, I modified the original pattern to have no door and instead be a narrower house exterior. My cutting tool was struggling at this point, so it is messier than I would like, but the pattern works. I would make sure to line everything up better on the final project.

This is the sample that I landed on. I want to make it about twice as big for the final project. My resident engineer helped me convert all the sizes to find how much fabric I will need to make them all about 24” in width. This will also make it so fewer houses will take up more area. I will sew them together vertically and I might clean up the sides once finished. I actually like having the insides have raw edges because I think it contributes to the concept.

Installation plan + written statement

Written statement:

I want to make a ghost-like neighborhood of houses that the viewer can walk through and peer through. By using panels of sheer fabric, I will quilt vertical lines of houses that will be suspended in the room. Faint sounds of a breeze can be heard as you enter. We all have our own associations of what a house signifies. I want viewer to think: Is this place abandoned? am I partaking in surveillance? Is this a dream? The space is rather narrow, so one may have to push past the fabric to walk through the room. I hope the translucent fabric will be combined with the volume and layout will make the room simultaneously full and empty, open and claustrophobic.

Installation plan:

There will be two rows of panels in squares hung from the ceiling. The inside square will be hung on the grid inside the lighting lines. The outside square will hang from the grid on the outside of the lights. The inside row will have one panel on each side, and the outside row will have three panels each. Each panel will have 3 houses each with each house block being about 24 inches wide. This will make 12 panels total with 36 houses total. Ideally, they will hang about three feet off the ground. The lights will point down at a slight angle towards the center of the room. There will be a speaker playing faint sounds of wind and road noise near the entrance.

Viewer encounter strategy:

I want to the room to be feel close together. The viewer will have to weave through the fabric to walk through the room.

Materials list:

·      White crystal organza fabric 13 yards - $34.98 before taxes and shipping

        o   https://fabricwholesaledirect.com/products/crystal-organza-59-60-inch-fabric

·      Dowel rods to hang top of fabric on $4.20*

        o   woodpeckerscrafts.com

        o   *I am unsure if this is the best way to hang them

·      Fishing wire to hang panels= est. $6

·      White sewing thread =est. $6

·      Some type of speaker/mp3 player for sound

·      Correct needle for fabric type $8.88

        oamazon.com

 

You have done something important: they’ve tested, edited, and landed on a direction. That alone is growth.

First: I’m impressed by the amount of material testing you have done- well done. Four mock-ups is real process, not guessing. You learned from each version, and that shows in the final decision. The shift toward the narrower house without the door is a smart edit — it simplifies the form and removes narrative cliché.

The raw edges are not a flaw. In this context, they actually support the concept. The houses are ghost-like, permeable, slightly unresolved. A perfectly finished edge might contradict that.

Now let’s refine.

Concept

The strongest part of this proposal is the tension between:

• Neighborhood (familiar, domestic, communal)

• Sheerness (exposure, permeability)

• Surveillance / insecurity / dream-state

• Full yet empty

That’s sophisticated.

The “ghost-like neighborhood” is working.

Be careful not to over-explain it in the written statement. The power lies in ambiguity. Let the viewer decide whether they are:

• Walking through memory

• Trespassing

• Being watched

• Or simply drifting

You don’t need to spell out every interpretive option.

---

Installation Plan

The two-square layout (inner + outer) is smart. It creates:

• Compression

• Navigation

• Centered stillness

Make sure the spacing is tight enough that the viewer must gently push the panels aside. That physical interaction is crucial.

Three feet off the ground is good — it avoids draping but keeps it architectural.

Lighting angled slightly inward is also strong. You want shadows to layer and double the houses on surrounding walls.

One suggestion:
Test how sheer the organza actually is under your gallery lighting. Too sheer and the house shapes disappear. Too opaque and the ghost effect is lost.

---

Quilting vs Drawing

Quilting gives material presence.
Drawing gives subtlety and speed.

Given your timeline and 36 houses total, be realistic.

If quilting all 36 will compromise installation time, consider:

• Quilt the inner square.

• Draw or stitch-outline the outer square.

Hierarchy could strengthen the space.

---

Sound

Wind is good — but subtle.

Avoid anything cinematic or dramatic.
No howling.
No heavy storm.

A faint ambient exterior tone is enough.

The sound should almost be questioned — not obvious.

---

Materials / Hanging

Dowel rods are fine structurally, but make sure they don’t visually dominate.

If the dowels read too much, consider:

• Thin steel rods

• Or tensioned line with reinforced hem

Fishing line could work — just ensure knots are secure and level.

---

What’s Working Conceptually

This installation understands:

• Material restraint

• Repetition

• Architectural activation

• Emotional ambiguity

It’s not sentimental.
It’s not literal.
It’s spatial.

That’s a big leap.

I’m very pleased with how much testing you’ve done. The refinement of the house pattern shows real decision-making. The ghost-like neighborhood concept is strong, especially paired with sheer fabric and spatial compression.

Keep the ambiguity — don’t over-explain the themes in your statement. Let the room do the work.

Be realistic about quilting time. If needed, mix techniques to maintain installation quality.

Make sure the panels are close enough that viewers must negotiate them physically — that tension is key.

---

Bethany, you are operating at a higher level now. This reads like someone thinking in space, not object.

Feb 16

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking on my installation. I want play off of my first idea with the sheer sheets in a cube combined with the sheer quilts. My idea is to make several quilted panels hung in two squares, and inner and an outer, with houses quilted on them. I want it to have the look of a neighborhood with houses in a line. The viewer would be able to walk through the panels and stand in the middle. I would hope that the sheer fabric will create some dim shadows across the room.

This is different than my other ideas, but I think it hits more on the materiality that I was wanting to work with while also having a theme that I can latch onto better. I have been thinking a lot about families and the state of our nation. I think the imagery of houses is very relevant, especially houses that can be seen through. I think this can convey themes of surveillance, insecurity, weakness, maybe even a dream-state.  Also, I think using this simple sign of a house will let the viewer apply their own feelings onto the room. I want it to be a little eerie; the houses are ghost-like.

The panels would be white voile or organza fabric, most likely. This would give a sheer look, but stiff enough to not drape too much. Rachel Hayes uses shimmer organza in her quilts. I am a little worried about quilting that many squares. It will help that it is all the same pattern, so most of the work is cutting out the pieces. Alternatively, I could draw on the houses with a very light color. It is most important that the outline of the house is present, but faint. I don’t want the outline of the houses to overpower the room. Each panel has three to five houses on it (maybe 5-6 feet long), hangs from the ceiling, and stops around hip/thigh height for the average height viewer. I also would like there to be a sound element to this room. I was thinking of a faint breeze/wind sound or ambient outdoors sounds.  

Feb 9

I thought more about this project, and I’m still struggling with a direction. I went through my fabric and found some sheer panels that are pretty. I also found an artist that makes large transparent quilts named Wally Dion. He will often layer them  in a room so you look through them all. Rachel Hayes does a similar thing, but on a larger scale. It looks like they both use a sewing technique where you fold and sew the seams so there is only one layer of fabric and no backing needed.

Rachel Hayes

Wally Dillon

I think at the core of my ideas, I want to use fabric and light to enhance the room, but I am not sure how to do that well. I have some fabric that I could try experimenting with. I think I’m just at a little bit of a conceptual roadblock. I think I am mostly struggling with how to adapt the space. What do I want the overall experience to be like? 

I think that visually I like my first idea better, but it is lacking conceptually. The sheer quilting could add context to the sheer panels, but I’m still struggling to clarify my ideas overall.

Jan 30

I have been struggling to pin down an idea for the materialistic assignment. My first idea is called “The World Needs More Cowgirls.”

So far, my idea revolves around being a woman in Wyoming. I want to talk about the women who have had an impact on our country from Wyoming as well as the experiences of women here.

 There would be a cowboy hat in the center of the room that is obstructed by sheer fabric and covered in quilted fabric. I am not sure if I would like this fabric to have something painted on it or instead do long paper-cut designs like lace. Either way, I would like the fabric to tone the room and cast shadows in some way. The hat would be on a stand with fabric coming out from underneath that falls into a sort of puddle. This fabric would have names of women from Wyoming. Guests would be invited to write a name of an impactful woman in their life on a scrap of fabric and add it to the pile. I would like to have a speaker inside the cowboy hat with voices of woman talking about their experiences.

I want the room to feel pretty but a little bit unsettling. It should be mostly dark, making the Having the fabric pile grow in the middle signifies the impact of women, but adding to it involves tossing the name of a woman on the ground.I would like to paint on the fabric panels, but I am unsure of what currently. I could write words as well, but that could be too much text. I want there to be obstruction of the hat, so maybe even male forms. I just am struggling to refine this idea as a whole.

My second idea was to make a sort of prayer room. There would be birds and flowers from the ceiling and bean bag chairs around the sides. I would also like panels that have psalms written down them. I would like there to be a sound element as well, so I was thinking the audio of breathing. There could be some sort of dish that people can write and leave a prayer. The lighting would hopefully cast shadows on the walls.

Bethany,

I want to start by saying how much your thinking has matured over the semester. Looking back at your early ideas — the cowboy hat, the prayer room, layered symbolism — you were searching for a way into the material. What you’ve landed on with the sheer quilted houses is much more focused and spatially intelligent.

The ghost-like neighborhood is strong. The repetition of a simple house form paired with translucent fabric creates exactly the kind of tension you’re describing — full yet empty, open yet claustrophobic. The fact that the viewer must physically move through the panels is important. That’s where this becomes installation rather than textile display.

A few refinements to consider:

• Keep the ambiguity. You don’t need to explain surveillance, insecurity, dream-state, and national commentary all at once. Let the space hold that tension without narrating it.

• Be realistic about quilting all 36 houses. If time becomes an issue, consider mixing techniques (stitched outlines on some, drawn outlines on others) while keeping visual consistency.

• Test the fabric under actual lighting conditions. The sheerness needs to be calibrated so the house form reads, but doesn’t overpower the space.

• Make sure the panels are close enough together that viewers must negotiate them physically. That friction is essential.

The raw edges you mentioned -They work. They support the ghost quality. Don’t over-finish something that conceptually benefits from slight vulnerability.

This piece feels materially grounded, spatially aware, and emotionally restrained. That’s a significant step forward from the beginning of the semester.

Let’s finalize spacing and hanging logistics in person so the installation reads as intentional and architectural rather than decorative.