Look to the Heavens, Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, Oregon, 2008
Look to the Heavens, installation view, Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, Oregon, 2008
Look to the Heavens considers historical moments when science, religion, and astrology intersect, illustrating astronomical events where what is viewed in the heavens reflects on our culture below. From Galileo's observations proving the earth was not at the center of the universe, to theories on the Star of Bethlehem as an astronomical object, these moments locate ourselves physically and metaphorically in the broader universe.
Using a computer program to calculate these historic vistas, I then sew the star patterns into painted, hand-dyed renderings of the night sky. Through the hand-sewing of these passages of time, I mirror my own contemplative act with the age-old existential act of pondering the night sky.