work — Taylor Mica Kennedy

The Yellow Quilt

2024

This work was created while on residence at The Vermont Studio Center in March - April of 2024

The Yellow Quilt was an ephemeral, site specific installation that was on view during Open Studios, located in the Barbara White Building, Studio #8

Work Statement for The Yellow Quilt:

The yellow quilt in inspired by a janky “handmade” quilt I used at my granny’s when I was a child. It was gifted to her as a set (one yellow + one pink) for her new twin girls (my aunts) in the 70s.

The pink one was lost, but the yellow one still exists. My cousin and I friendly fight over who will inherit it (we have decided to cut it in half).

The piece pays respect to this deep seated desire in me to work with my hands; a lineage my granny and great grandmother (and their mothers before them) participated in; but in an act that was laborious in that it was necessary. Theirs was a domestic world of tyrannical men and an inability to control their finances.

Handiwork centered around creating functional goods was not only a basic need, but an act of escape placed in ever “knit on, pearl one” as they created revealing artifacts that memorialized themselves.

I have experienced my own versions of the tyrants and have escaped using what my granny taught me (knit one, pearl one, keep your tension even).

This is an observation of how they’ve tinkered their way out from under heaviness. It is here to honor their

embrace.

**The Yellow Quilt**
2024
Ephemeral Mixed Media Installation: soft pastel, charcoal, colored pencil, pencil, pen, acrylic, mulberry paper, yarn, bra pad inserts, personal photos, thread, and encaustic with mono printed BFK Reeves, cradled plywood boards and chalk pastel wall drawing
12x20x10 Feet

in progress images of The Yellow Quilt

yarn and wall drawing detail in **The Yellow Quilt**

bra pad insert and floor detail in **The Yellow Quilt**

Experimental Wheat Paste Mural (Precursor to The Yellow Quilt)

2024

This mural was created in Mendoza, Argentina. It is located on the garage storefront of Fiambreria Europa Nueva; a convenience store located in downtown, Mendoza. It consists of acrylic on butcher paper, installed using homemade wheat paste glue. All materials were sourced in Argentina.

I had been wanting to explore the idea of wheat paste murals. Through the generosity of the owner and store manager of this local business, I was able to do so. Having never created a mural via wheatpaste, I was excited to contribute to the local street art scene with this opportunity as I was spending extensive time in the area.

Reflecting on this piece, I consider this mural an experimental precursor to The Yellow Quilt because I was needing to work large and quickly before my residency at The Vermont Studio Center. I had a lot of ideas in my mind about how to move forward with The Yellow Quilt, but needed to work through them in a way that was inconsequential. I was able to work through the necessary ideas at the scale I desired, in a process that was new to me and a local business was provided a moment of beautifying color.

experimental wheat paste mural, 8x8 feet

the 4 above images showcasing the mural upon completion

the above 3 images showcasing the creation and installation of the mural

Sp(arrows)

2022

These works were created for and on view at RIT City Art Space’s 2022 exhibition titled Sp(arrows): A Two Person Show featuring Annalisa Barron and Taylor Kennedy

Work Statement for Sp(arrows):

The floors at 42 Maple Ave were always cold.

I remember Granny always scolding me;

“here, put some socks on

you’ll get a cold.”

Rugs covered the rooms;

primitive. natural.

worn out. well loved. clean.

I never took her socks; I walk with my feet to the ground - sucking up the dirt.

Still barefoot a lifetime later,

I walk over her now warm floors.

New rugs; my stained feet imparting history.

“I know you won’t put socks on, but I wish you would;

you’re making me cold.”

behind the scenes look of installing sp(arrows): a two person exhibition by annalisa barron and taylor kennedy at rit city art space in rochester, ny.

video by clara riedlinger.