Anita Fields, artist
Move Forward #1, 2020
Fabric, ink, historic document facsimiles, embroidery thread, metal sequins

A simple white handkerchief provides a foundation for my textile, paper, and embroidery thread collage. Handkerchiefs hold our tears, sorrows, and grief; we dab our brows with them during the intensely hot and sizzling Oklahoma summers. I remember my Eko tying up her jewelry, rings, and other goodies in a handkerchief and tossing it into her purse. The cloth seems fitting and suitable, a humble base to hold my thoughts and expressions about a world turned upside down.

In isolation, I think of what it means to withstand a pandemic and hardships. I use ink on transparent paper to record my thoughts. I tear facsimiles of historical documents found in museum archives to drive points further; unimaginable references about an agent forcing an educated Osage into irons until he agrees to wear store-bought clothing. I embroider a human form with gold metallic threads to remind myself how important it is to keep making, to keep creating.

I think of our ancestors’ tribulations, their ability to move forward like the sun, and their prayers for the future. We are familiar with what it means to persevere. Osages are resilient and know how to survive.