Description
We Can Use The Rain is an exploration of growth through the year, from the redbuds in early spring through the vibrance of summer to the geometry of autumn milkweed pods and cacti grown indoors in the winter. It’s not only carefully tended garden flowers that are sustained by rain, but also the honeysuckle and dogwood that otherwise thrive with little attention. While they may not be mobile, they still change rapidly, taking the spotlight for a while and then fading to be supplanted by the next to bloom.
The flora (and fungus) on display were found in and around Wilmington – whether in a meticulously curated botanical garden or greenhouse, greeting passersby from a front yard, in an out of the way spot in a park, or growing enthusiastically in a neglected patch by the highway. The viewer is encouraged to consider how what grows around us reflects the communities we cultivate. Stitch by stitch, these works closely examine plant life, remembering that no matter where we are, we can all use the rain.
Larissa Ranbom, Ph.D. is a fiber artist and Delaware transplant. After earning a doctorate in psycholinguistics she felt a drive to engage more deeply with the tangible world in ways that are predominantly slow and low-tech. Her work uses freestyle embroidery to reinterpret photographs she has taken in gardens and along sidewalks as she walks around the Wilmington area. It speaks to the joy of imperfection, the value of small things, and an improvisational approach to femininity.