In recent works, I have been using the American flag and all its preexisting meanings as a vehicle for exploration. To create my “In Our Shoes” flag, I invited my friends on social media to photograph their shoes with their smart phones and send me the images. I needed 364 pairs of shoes to create the piece and a got more shots of shoes that I could use. I had each pair selected for the work printed to be 3.5" x 5". When all the pieces were stitched together it created the largest work I have created thus far at 5' x 8'.
I started this piece just a few days after the Presidental election and I found it healing to interact with friends on Facebook about something other than the nasty campaign we all just went through. As I was stitching all the shoes together I found myself thinking about different perspectives. There were conservative and liberal minded friends shoes all sewn together to create this work. There are boots that were worn in Desert Storm on this flag as well as a number of artists from around the country’s footware. Boots from a Oklahoma City Police officer, burlesque performer and a pair of clown shoes to name a few.
The flag will be on exhibit at the Oklahoma Science Museum in February 2017.