My mixed media art benefits from the cultural coding of its machine embroidered artistry. Though the process incorporates computer technology, the stitching recalls familial heirlooms passed down through generations of sewers. I stitch embroidery onto energetically painted canvases to create art that pays homage to the ancient while presenting a contemporary message. I am inspired by the natural world ranging from landscape vistas to the microscopic plant details of Karl Blossfeldt’s black and white photography. Capitalizing on the power of beauty to attract, I created a piece that draws the viewer in where they would be exposed to a deeper message. In “Uprooted”, the canvas is alive with swirling embroideries of various wildflowers. Placed between them are small stitched figures of men and women floating uprooted against a darkly painted ominous sky. The figures and plants have a snarl of roots protruding from their feet and stems creating a scene of upheaval, chaos, and uncertainty.