HEAL MY HEAD HEAL MY HEART

image transfers, sidewalk chalk, gel medium, gold leaf, and sheetrock, 2016

This work was for a group exhibition at Sullivan Galleries called Painting in Time, Part II. It developed over a period of 3 months.

I find myself walking around the city of Chicago where I live looking for messages written on the sidewalks. These messages could be anything from memorials to love notes. Over time, I’ve collected numerous photos of messages and nature. I question what it means for people to make their mark on public territory and wonder if it is about holding onto memories.

Thinking about this idea I began, Heal My Head Heal My Heart, with images of my own photographs transferred directly on the walls. After a couple weeks of working in the gallery, I invited the public to mark the surface with chalk. I then responded by carving out participant’s text & images followed by gold leafing the surface. 

Public participants writing on top of my image transfers with chalk.

Sidewalk chalk provided for the public to write on walls over my image transfers.

Image of me carving out the participant’s text and images and imbedding gold leaf.

Participant’s drawing of a heart that I carved out and replaced with gold leaf.

Participant’s drawing of a dog that I carved out and replaced with gold leaf.

Transferring my images to the walls during the first couple weeks of installation; prior to inviting the public’s participation.