Textiles have been a lifelong curiosity, thanks to my parents. Our home was decorated with knotted pile carpets from various Middle Eastern countries, and I wanted to understand better the historical and cultural weight of an artform that had enriched my adolescence. Inspired, I applied for and was granted a Fulbright Fellowship in Istanbul, Turkey from 2013 - 2014. This nine-month grant allowed me to research Anatolian weaving, explore its deep heritage and study how textiles visually portrayed their culture of origin.

My paintings incorporate traditional symbols and designs but are not copies of existing carpets. I mimic the minute detail and time-consuming nature of weaving by employing tiny interlocking shapes to fill large fields of color. Occasionally I render textiles in black and white to focus on design and symbols.

This collection of paintings is a limited series completed in the few years surrounding my Fulbright Fellowship when I was able to conduct onsite research and be advised by weavers. 15% of sales from this series are donated to women weavers and artisans in Turkey via Turkish Philanthropy Funds.

Scroll to the bottom of the gallery for a look behind the series.