Protecting Peace is inspired by traditional corn husk mats that were laid at the doorway of a home. From what I was told, when visitors walked across them, the small husk pieces would catch any negative energy or bad intentions, protecting the peace within the home. The mat becomes more than an object, it becomes a guardian of the threshold.
For this piece, I used corn husks from my mother’s garden. She planted, tended, and harvested the corn herself. After saving the husks, she gave them to me to create something beautiful.. The foundation of this piece is rooted in her care, patience, and quiet strength.
I added blue flowers in reference to my grandmother’s home in Oneida, specifically her blue room. It was the space where I spent a lot of my childhood, and the place where I felt the most at peace. When you entered her house, that room was to the left. I arranged the flowers on the left side of this piece to mirror that memory. A visual echo of walking into her home and into peace.
This work holds three generations of peace: my grandmother’s sanctuary, my mother’s nurturing hands, and my own act of creation. Protecting Peace is not only about guarding a home from negativity, but about honoring the women who taught me what peace feels like.