Q: What has been your favorite exhibition you’ve seen at RoCo?
A: My favorite exhibit was definitely 'A Change is Coming' featuring Kill Joy! I’m really inspired by street art like posters, murals, and graffiti. I love to see what artists can create for a public audience. It inspired me to make my own art! I had created a few embroidery pieces from pre-made patterns before, but this exhibit helped me realize I can use my own voice through art.

Q: Tell us a bit more about your current art practice! What steps would you like to take with it in the future?
A: I’ve been embroidering for just over two years now. I’d say my art is political, sometimes with a touch of whimsy. I think my pieces are a lot more person than I realized when I first started, but it turns out I have a lot to express through stitches. Embroidery itself is so often dismissed and “women’s work” and not given the respect it deserves as an art form, so I think I’d like my pieces to lean even more political and overtly feminist. I want to show what “women’s work” can look like when not constrained by societal expectations around womanhood and femininity. I’d also really like to deliberately seek out more political artists’ exhibits to visit because they have inspired me so much in the past - it’s why I’m looking forward to the Queering Democracy exhibit this fall!

Q: If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?
A: I wish I were better at gardening! I enjoy it, I’m just really bad at it.

Q: If you could have one artist create your portrait, who would it be?
A: I know she predominantly did self-portraits, but Frida Kahlo would be amazing. She painted beyond what was in the mirror - she knew how to capture her own complexity as a person. I’d like to be seen in a similar way.

Q: What’s the most recent art piece you’ve added to your collection?
A: I went to Binghamton for a book fair recently and picked up Celebrate People’s History: The Poster Book of Resistance and Revolution, edited by Josh MacPhee. I originally picked it up since many of the art styles were intriguing, but I’ve also learned about social movements all over the world. It also includes a poster from Kill Joy!

Q: You’re super active in our community! What causes are important to you?
A: I feel like almost everything is important to me because so much is interconnected! I want every community member to have all of their basic needs met, to feel and be supported by the entire community, and to have the freedom to enjoy their life. For that, I care deeply about ensuring everyone has access to quality and affordable healthcare, a safe home, a healthy environment, and robust worker’s rights. I also care about everyone having a voice in our community, not just those with the most money or influence.

Q: Along with that…what is great about Rochester? What can we do better?
A: I love the way Rochester has shown up for each other! Particularly in the past few years, I’ve seen how neighbors and friends can come together to support each other in so many ways: by standing in solidarity with student protesters, providing mutual aid during severe snow storms, or rallying for a public, democratic downtown. I think much more needs to be done at a systemic level - as a city, we need to be taking care of each other every single day. We need to make that sure no one goes hungry, that no one doesn’t have a place to call home, that no one feels alone - without a community. We need to lead with compassion in everything we do if we really want Rochester to be better.

Q: Something silly - what in your wardrobe do you wear most often?
A: I have a pair of painted wooden earrings that I got when I went to Chile. They go with just about everything I wear (in my mind, at least), but they also remind me about an important period in my life, and to be more confident and free.