Flora as Fashion: Ameliana Kamstra

“Flora as Fashion: Ameliana Kamstra” 2018

It seems frivolous to create images that aren't addressing social injustices right now while our American society is crumbling right before my eyes. But it is precisely through this project that I have been able to process the tension our daily world is producing. Stitching  has been a way for me to personally keep it all together.  

The transformation of emotional experiences into recognizable form is a vehicle most artists employ. Picturing a song, a gesture, or a phrase leads us on a journey of self discovery and expression.

The normal structures of our society, which feels like it is hanging by a thread, is overwhelming. Fear of letting life unravel, keeps me stitching.

I’m stitching to reduce the stress levels I have about the onslaught of daily high school shootings, homelessness, our diminishing civil liberties, and grotesque consumerism. It allows me to transform my anxiety into something beautiful - a way to adorn my friends with love and beauty.

Julie Green
May 19, 20189