Mammatus is a series of sewn and stuffed paintings that mimic formations made by mammatus clouds, a meteorological term derived from the Latin mamma (“breast”) for clouds of the same shape that appear before or after severe storms. I think about these formations as atmospheric and psychological states suspended between tension, release, anticipation and aftermath.

The works are constructed with organic grid patterning and made through dyeing, staining, bleaching, sewing, stuffing, and painting. They are filled with stuffing taken from my own pillows, including body pillows used during pregnancy, postpartum, and chronic pain flare-ups, where I physically brace and support my body between pillows to reduce discomfort. These materials connect atmospheric systems to experiences of care, exhaustion, pain, protection, and bodily transformation.

Beginning from playful experimentation and meditative repetition, the surfaces soften, sag, puff, and warp as they accumulate material excess. Grids become porous, tactile, and bodily rather than predictable. Staining, stitching, and compression create both instability and containment, reflecting emotional states shaped by climate anxiety, political tension, motherhood, intimacy, and living through uncertainty. 

Left:
Holding Pattern, 2026, Acrylic, natural and synthetic dyes on canvas, 60 x 48 x 5 inches, Unframed