So much has happened during my 5 weeks as visiting artist the Fiber Department at Cranbrook Academy of Art — I met inspiring artists, researchers, and students, and encountered the diverse, complex textures of Detroit. This journey has been both artistically and personally transformative.

☘️☘️ Takeaways ☘️☘️
This residency reminded me of the power of artistic exchange — how dialogue, material exploration, and shared curiosity open new ways of thinking and making. I leave Detroit with a renewed sense of how textiles connect bodies, stories, and communities — and with threads of inspiration that will continue to weave through my practice.

I send my gratitude to the Fiber Department:

Thank you Joey Quiñones –incredible artist-in-residence and head of Fiber– for welcoming me so openly into the department.
To all the students — Tracy Ren, Irene Perez, Ivan Flores, Emily Dormier, Maddie Gordon, Julia LeKander, James Baxter, Ashley Rossi, Brianna Markley, Emily Hunt, Nick Cox, Diane Yu, Ruth Xu Huang and Star Seven — thank you for letting me join your CRITs and for sharing your textile worlds. You have all left a deep impression on me ☘️

I’m deeply grateful to Statens Kunstfond for generously supporting this artistic journey, and to Anders Ruhwald for organizing the residency at Dubois Street and the fellowship at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Last but not least Jose Arenivar-Gomez – director of 3583 Dubois St. and an extraordinary ceramic artist – thank you for being such a generous and caring host — for sharing your space, knowledge, and hospitality.

📷 Encountering the architectural beauty of Cranbrook Academy of Art with Elan Schwarts. Photo by Midge W