I Breathe With You

I Breathe With You, 2015. Collaboration with Kelly Clark. Acrylic, charcoal, collage, graphite, and hand embroidery on paper, 6 x 6"

The theme I Breathe With You touched us both very deeply as my dear friend and soul sister, Kelly, worked on this collaborative series, each of our hands playing a part in its creation. The exclamation I can’t breathe was made eleven times by Eric Garner, an African American man who lay face down on the sidewalk after being placed in a police chokehold.  He died one hour later from a heart attack due to injuries to his neck and chest. A grand jury decided not to indict the offending police officer. I can’t breathe has become one of the most recognizable utterances of recent protests against oppression.

While grieving the death of Eric Garner, we also exhale a laden sigh for the countless others who have endured cruel injustices and immense suffering in the struggle for life. Among these is Freddie Gray who died from a spinal cord injury while in police custody in Baltimore. This series also serves as a prayer for Kelly's healing as we stand in solidarity to fight with her as she battles cancer once again.