Margaret Walker
I am living the life not of my mother, but shaped by my mother. I cherish the elements of my body that reflect my grandmother. I am not living in her body, but am living because of her body. These shared traits serve as inspiration for my artistic practice. Going through the movement of daily life, caring for one’s family, collecting the marks of time, offers a moment for celebration. I have so much to learn from those around me, about myself, as well as my relationship with them. Textiles and photography connect together to document time. Layered images display the ways in which our lives stack upon each other, showing the ways we are alike and the ways we differ. Sewing, knitting, and weaving reflect the labor and care of creating textiles for one’s family as my mother, grandmother, and many mothers before them did. The weight and protection offered by textiles serves as a reminder of the labor and comfort afforded by living a life of shared experience with family. My work is fluid, guided by collaboration, creating imagery that brings forward stories of life. I reference moments from the past but present each story with imagery and text grounded in the present. Each moment alone may be forgotten but it is the collection of these moments that creates shared history and experience. The celebration and documentation of each mark serves as a way to connect and commemorate the lives that have been lived and the ones that are yet to.
About the artist:
Margaret Walker was born in American Fork, Utah. She moved to Madison, WI where she grew up playing with textiles, photography, and ceramics. She has always enjoyed creating art and is passionate about continuing to grow as an artist as well as an educator. Walker completed her Bachelors of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May 2021 with a focus in ceramics and photography. She is now a Master of Fine Arts Candidate at the University of Maryland-College Park. Walker has exhibited work for the University of Maryland Department of Art, Wisconsin Union Directorate, UW Madison Photography, and UW Madison Ceramics.
the weight of our world
2023
Photographic prints on paper & fabric
44″ x 65″