Rooted in Stone & Thread
I’m so excited to give you a peek at my second art collection of the year, coming in June 2025! This season’s work is deeply inspired by the rugged, otherworldly beauty of the Alberta Badlands - a place where time stretches out in layers of stone and sun-cracked clay. As a kid I was OBSESSED with visiting Drumheller (dinosaurs were big in the 90s and I was basic). I am happy to report nothing has changed well into my adulthood, but there is so much more to the Badlands than just awesome dinos.
If you are not familiar with the Badland geography here is a quick summary (pulled straight from le Google):
The term "badlands" refers to a type of dry, heavily eroded terrain that’s characterized by:
Steep slopes
Minimal vegetation
Soft sedimentary rock formations
Striking features like hoodoos, ravines, gullies, and buttes
Badlands form over thousands (or millions) of years as wind and water wear down layers of rock and clay, creating a rugged, almost alien-looking landscape.
The name "badlands" comes from early French trappers and Indigenous descriptions of the area—terms like “les mauvaises terres à traverser” (the bad lands to cross)—because the terrain was so rough and difficult to travel through.
In Alberta, the Badlands are especially famous for their rich fossil beds, particularly around Drumheller and the Red Deer River Valley, where dinosaur remains have been unearthed for over a century.
They're harsh, hauntingly beautiful places—where geology is exposed, and time feels almost visible in the layered stone.
The collection, tentatively titled, Rooted in Stone & Thread, blends ceramic and fibre art including textured surfaces that echo dried riverbeds, soft neutrals pulled straight from the Badlands palette, and layered materials that mimic the region’s iconic strata, coulees, and hoodoos.
It’s a tribute to both the ancient and the living: fossils and botanicals, dinosaurs and wildflowers. Expect a mix of ceramic sculpture, wall textiles, and earthy tones with a modern twist—rooted in geology and natural history, but totally in love with the tactile here-and-now.
If you’ve ever wandered through Drumheller or stood at the edge of a coulee and felt the wind tell a story, this collection is for you.
Stay tuned for sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes process as we count down to the June 2025 launch. I can’t wait to share it with you.
