Rebecca Zablocki

Manchester, CT

www.rebeccazablocki.com

@rebeccazablocki

Within my work, I utilize craft-based techniques, such as rug making and sewing to create objects indicative of domestic spaces, as well as found objects commonly present within medical spaces and chronically ill lives. I use pattern and color to mirror memories of pediatric medical spaces and the monotony of being confined within a bed- room, simultaneously creating a bridge between the perseverance it requires to create a comfortable, healthy environ- ment and body, and the discovery of beau- ty, joy, and humor in the spaces around us. My process is a personal tool for coping, and my finished work becomes a tool for the viewer. My studio is an extension of my chronically ill life. I create in my home, often while sitting in a place of rest; my bed, couch, floor cushion or mat. This process must be regenerative, I have no other option. Through my work, I open a window into the world of chronic illness and provide a safe environment that encourages em- pathy, awareness and understanding, exploring how we comfort ourselves and one another with beauty and care, and by being a silly goose.

Dear Chronic Illness,

Committee Members

Billie Lee

Mary Mattingly

Carol Padberg (co-chair)

Yoshiko Shimano

Mary Tsiongas (co-chair)