Blanket Stories: Talking Stick, Works Progress, Steward

A site-specific installation commissioned by Curator Faith Brower and the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon

This blanket has travelled far from Ireland to New York, California, and now Oregon. When I was 12 years old my mother took me and my older sister to Ireland, so that we could explore the country where our ancestors were from. It was the first time I travelled overseas and we had a great time. My mother bought an Irish wool blanket in different hues of purple with fringe and a plaid design motif. She really appreciated the craftsmanship and quality of the blanket. Many years later, I accidentally shrunk the blanket in the wash. Unfortunately it was no longer long enough to cover me so I stopped using it. Although seeing it in my closet reminds me of our trip and my sweet mother.