THINK IN THE SHADE (2017)

This is an art installation is called "Think in the Shade".  It is composed of over 100 handmade paper umbrellas suspended from the ceiling. The paper is composed of kozo (mulberry) fiber and is hand dyed one sheet at a time and each sheet is dried over a mould to create the umbrella shapes. This piece was on display at the Western New York Book Arts Center during September 2017 for a group exhibition where all the artists used kozo fiber to create their pieces. It has since been sold to a private collector.

According to Buddhist teachings, umbrellas have long symbolized enlightened beings, representing protection from suffering through knowledge of self.  This project encourages the viewer to sit below the clouds of paper umbrellas, gazing upward and inward—taking a few moments to recognize the stillness of the mind and to seek protection through inner knowledge of the self.  The world we live in today is so fast-paced, over-scheduled and in a constant stage of input. People rarely slow down long enough to begin to process all of the input, let alone to fully understand the knowledge they have been acquiring.  My hope with this interactive installation is to foster a sense of peace through mindful meditation in a public space.  Each participant is encouraged to write a brief response to his or her experience with the piece and to add it to the collection point near the installation.