woodcut print, 18" x 18,"  2024
Inspiration for Tenuous Hold began with the skeleton of a fox that we found in our yard after returning from a trip in the fall 2023.  My husband Eli and I gently wrapped the animal in cloth and buried it in our yard.  The exposure of this creature’s utter nakedness and vulnerability lying on the grass and the mystery of its death haunted me.  I drew a simplified fox’s jaw and skeleton lying on its side on the woodblock.  Other foxes appear in this print as well.  Backbones, tree trunks and roots all provide support in nature.  Yet strength and fragility exist together in all life.  This print also has various references to fibers: knitting, braiding, ropemaking, weaving, basketry and netting.  Humans depend on these are materials for warmth, shelter, clothing, comfort and beauty.