dear instagram

dear reader,

dear instagram,

as a golem amongst you

as a sharp-edged

alwaysbeena odd one-

i’ve found a home within the pulsing city streets of chicago, il

toolboxEarth as the eternal walking partner

but a safety, that feeling of home, has never existed within the terrain of social media.

maaaaybe:

to stubbornly see if an artist can gain recognition without it

to stubbornly show that we don’t need them

to greenly see if you’ll pick this up-

artwork that’s for you

without influence

cause i want ya, dear reader

to meet ya

to hold your hand

as anOther etetnal walking partner

as anOther on this long green road

as The Audience

whatever means

necessary-

even if whatever means cheating a little

because

art can save the species-

it’s a proven method.

the catalyst to systemic change is the activation of the individual.

that’s what art does-

it creates a bridge

by activating the individual experiencing it.

so maybe this one single post is cheating

but this is the compromise

of the artist standing

stubbornly between

you and them

i and we

stubbornly between us*

because maybe

if i

so you

then we

toolboxEarth is fiber art that’s there for you. (mostly) round weavings created with intended therapeutic value using all recycled, repurposed, and found materials, or in direct support of local nonprofits. handmade fiber art that promotes organic connections, critical thinking, and the pulsing potential/hope in all things. ocular play to stimulate the vegas nerve creating euphoria from within. evaluating the infinite angles of the deconstruct to reconstruct process. the need to trim the fat with the blade of bravery

from scratch.

the fruition of curiosity leads to a pause for contemplation- a grounded rest, for a moment of quiet focus.

once we find it, we can keep finding it

together.

no matter how regulated

no matter how surveilled

these slices we occupy

these rooms we romp in

they are ours to do with as we like

they are ours to write ‘i was here’

the ability to break something down into it’s most basic state, take stock of the inventory on hand, and rebuild it to achieve a desired goal

from scratch.

the streets are our studios

let it begin

*imagine you are lying on your back three feet in the air atop a table in a calm, contemplative state full of awareness. your breathing is deep and controlled. you are at homeostasis. your hands are resting, as islands from the elbow down, palms face up. a sudden, powerful, and stern shove at your right side waist-

allow your body to move.

with(in)out a jostle of reaction,

as a woven translation,

as a cheating stubborn friend,

as a ginkgo biloba,

rachel