Flowers in the Factory, is part of an ongoing study about the Textile Industry in New England. For over a decade I have been exploring the lives of workers who are the bedrock of our diverse culture, from mill workers, farmers, domestic servants, to soldiers. Whether American-born, immigrants, or enslaved, my focus remains the same: to capture their spirit, tenacity, and hope.

This piece illustrates a unique story about how nature was brought into the mills to soften the harshness of the workplace, and celebrates the vibrant life that grew up among the machines and factories.

Stenciled cotton gauze is layered over an oil painting of a New England mill, creating a three dimensional occurrence. As viewers move past the artwork the figures shift, an abstraction of shapes and colors animate the industrial landscape, inviting you in, to look beneath the surface, there is always more to see and learn.