Women’s Work

Women’s work is a brooch inspired by years of observing the work of my grandmother. I spent many summer days watching her sew for a living out of her kitchen. I observed women standing on top of a chair so my grandmother could hem the length of their dress by hand more easily.

The brooch features an enamel of a woman's paper doll dress with writing etched into the copper behind it. The writing is from correspondence during the Civil War from my family members from 1864. The dress is turned into a pin cushion and features the porcelain arm of a doll held in place by a sterling silver button. The back is an image from the book Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers. I remember watching Mary Poppins and wanting to grow up and become a nanny.

Materials used are enamel on copper, copper, sterling silver, stainless steel, and brass—fabric, stuffing, thread, and porcelain doll.