EXTINGUISH

"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare." 

– Audre Lorde.

To extinguish is not simply to end but to preserve—to protect, to make space, to transform.
Through collage, tapestry, photography, mixed media, and sculpture, Extinguish frames
absence as a continuous shift—moments of stillness before renewal—and considers the
freedom to rest in Black womanhood as an intentional act of preservation.
The colligation of Black women in acts and states of rest and leisure in photographs and
collages contrasted with the protective layers of encouraging notations stitched into woven
fabric, and the transmission of reverence in wired sculptures, Extinguish solicits the
balance between preservation, visibility, and repose. Tapestry painting personifies this
dynamic energy—figures become embodiments of self-possession, intuition, and boundless
transformation. When we rest, we notice how these processes of change are reflected
throughout nature and evident in our daily lives. In agriculture, clear-cutting trees allow
new, sunlight-receptive species to thrive. In beauty, split ends must be cut for healthy hair
to grow. To kick an old habit, it's best to start a new one. The list goes on.

Admit extinguishment is not the end. Embrace it as a means of regeneration. At times, we must preserve the wick, until we decide we are ready to burn again.