HAWTHORN

or

Bear’s Very Rich Hours in the Land of Fairies

Hawthorn is a twelve-part narrative series following a young brown bear who, desiring escapism, slips into the fairy realm. Led by the Guide, Bear encounters a variety of playful fairies. However, Bear is frequently reminded of the cause for its escapism. Soon, the fairies’ horseplay becomes overwhelming and Bear wishes to return to the natural world. A long awaited visit to the Doctor of Physick reveals that Bear has been in a deep trance, dreaming through the passing of a calendar year. In order to awaken from this trance, Bear must learn to find solace in the soft soil and sprouting of the spring crocuses.

These works will be on view at Abigail Ogilvy Gallery in Los Angeles, November 8 - December 20, 2025

Hawthorn (genus Crataegus) leaves, berries and flowers have been used in herbal medicine to aid with cardiovascular health, blood pressure and circulation and digestion. In Celtic folklore, the hawthorn tree is believed to be a sort of portal into another realm- it is said that if one falls asleep under a hawthorn tree, they may find themselves in the fairy world.

The arched form of these tuftings is inspired by the Limbourg brother’s illuminated manuscript Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry). This devotional manuscript is perhaps most well-known for its illustrated “Labours of the Months,” showing an astrological calendar in the upper portion of the illumination and a typical task for that month in the lower portion. In Hawthorn, the lower portion of each piece represents Bear’s follies in the fairy realm, while the upper portion illustrates its dreaming state or waking duties in the natural world.

I took a long break from my studio practice in 2023 and 2024 due to my mother’s unexpected passing from cardiovascular disease. Saddled not only with the strongest amount of grief I have ever had to process, I also had a large amount of administrative duties to accomplish. I quickly found myself slipping into a world of (perhaps maladaptive) daydreams, enjoying the time spent in my head more than my time on Earth. I wished that by the end of my production of this series I would have some sort of answer on how to break out of this fairy realm- the doctor of physick represents the many forms of somatic and psycho-therapy I have tried. Years later I still occasionally find myself in this world, without a clear solution. I suppose the answer is that the fairies will always be there- and one may always return to them. And that the grief will always be carried as well, but it is best to feel it rather than dwell with the fairies too long.

I strayed away from my fixation on hares for this project, as I found bears to be a better fit. I was drawn to their patterns of hibernation, amorphous yet expressive bodily form, and capacity for both gently picking berries or letting out a tremendous bellow. The day after my mother’s passing, a black bear lumbered through her town for the first time in over twenty years. It padded through her front yard and towards my old nursery school, a high-speed helicopter chase ensuing.

To Mamma, with all my love ..