Katie Richardson
Tangled Up in You, 2015
Socks, thread, yarn wax, zippers and recycled stuffing materials Various sizes
These rabbits were inspired by observations of myself and other mothers. The need to entwine, meld, cling, project and compare; The constant battle between seeing our children as extensions of ourselves rather than totally separate beings and the struggle to disentangle ourselves and enable their healthy independence.
Katie Richardson
Lovies, 2018
Old socks, thread, cellphone covers and cell phones Various sizes
This piece is about the obsessive and anxiety-inducing relationships we have with our cellphones. Our culture’s incessant feed of instant communication, information and entertainment all flow through this singular device. I liken it to how we felt as children with our attachments to favorite stuffed animals. These cellphone covers are an homage to the “lovie” that I once could not live without.
Katie Richardson
Let’s Face it, 2020
Fabric scraps from left over from sewing face masks and hook rug canvas 60" x 40" x 1"
I teach and facilitate sewing and mending workshops in San Francisco for the unhoused and underserved. This work has become a fundamental part of my creative practice over the past five years. When these workshops were furloughed due to Covid-19, I filled my time making face masks for this vulnerable community. I made literally thousands of masks between March and November generating bags full of scraps for an art piece to be determined. At the same time I was observing how awkward and uncomfortable everyone looked with their faces masked, particularly in the beginning. One day while shopping at a nursery I overheard an elderly lady grumble “We all look like a bunch of god damn bank robbers.” My art piece was born. This project has taken me seven months to complete working daily for several hours. It has been cathartic and, thankfully, very time-consuming during this challenging time.