Nesting Functions

In the Pacific Northwest, morning glory is widely regarded as a terribly invasive vine. Once established, it can take years of persistent effort to remove. Rather than focusing on its unwanted nature, I chose to approach it as a material with unexpected possibilities.

When dried, morning glory vine becomes a flexible, surprisingly durable cordage well suited to basketry and sculpture. By working with it as the primary material in this community-based artwork, I sought to shift its meaning and function—from a troublesome garden weed into a vessel for collective creativity.

This transformation reflects a broader thread in my practice: the possibility of finding beauty, usefulness, and connection in what is often overlooked or dismissed. Through a simple change in perspective, what is considered a problem can become a resource for community, collaboration, and renewal.

In 2014, I exhibited the sculpture at the Bow Little Holiday Market at the Bow Lodge in Bow, Washington, and invited community members to decorate it and add notes of gratitude and blessings to the nests. Later that winter, in February 2015, I burned the sculpture at Chuckanut Transition’s annual Lighting the Dark event at the Alger Community Hall.