The Silent Flight of Consumption

In this installation, I explore the fragile balance between mindful living and mass consumption, using the Great Blue Heron as a metaphor for patience, harmony, and intentional movement. Inspired by winter walks along the Olentangy River Trail in Ohio, where herons moved with quiet grace among scattered human waste, I began reflecting on our disposable culture, especially within the fashion industry.

The heron, with its calm posture and careful hunting, became a symbol of mindfulness and care, values I also see in the slow fashion work I’ve done with women artisans in Pakistan. Their handmade textiles, created with time and skill, stand in sharp contrast to fast fashion’s speed and waste.

The installation consists of two panels: a 20x72-inch textile piece printed with layered herons in rich blues and sunset tones, and a 264x72-inch cardboard panel made from discarded packaging around my studio. Relief-printed with laser-cut herons, each unique and in motion, the work captures both beauty and disruption. The recycled cardboard visibly degrades from top to bottom, echoing how fast fashion may appear polished but is ethically and environmentally fragile underneath.

This work invites viewers to slow down, reconsider their role as consumers, and imagine a more thoughtful, respectful way of living. Influences from artists like Marlene Creates, El Anatsui, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Anna Hepler, Tara Donovan, and Ann Hamilton shape my practice. Their use of discarded materials and focus on nature, memory, and care continue to inspire my commitment to sustainable art rooted in healing and ecological awareness.