Woman Warrior

In 2014, I created this 5-foot-9-inch papier-mâché sculpture to celebrate International Women’s Day at the historic Lincoln Theatre in Mount Vernon, Washington.

Drawing upon the network of women—and a few men—with whom I had collaborated through years of community resilience work, I invited participants to contribute words and images representing the forms of “women’s work” they offered to Skagit Valley and the wider world. The sculpture became a collective portrait, its surface composed of these contributions and the stories, values, and acts of care they embody.

The Woman Warrior wields a French rolling pin carved by Laura Mathews and wears a headdress created by Mouse Bird from turkey feathers and reclaimed materials. Together, these elements honor the creativity, labor, wisdom, and transformative power of the many individuals whose efforts sustain and strengthen their communities.