The work Solitude is about facing the unknown. In times of uncertainty it is often the case that the uncertainty draws out our fears. While in fear it is easier to find comfort in what is familiar or normal, so avoiding change altogether in times of uncertainty is quite alluring. But this work is about facing those fears and embracing the change to come. In the moment when the cloud of uncertainty is on the horizon we have a choice to make. We can choose to weather the storm or we can flee. Ultimately the choices we make will be made on our own as we choose to act from fear or from courage, and so in the solitude of our minds we choose our own destiny and the legacy that we leave behind. Depicted in this piece the figure is about to enter the storm on the horizon which is represented by the thickened warp of the loom, which ultimately opens up on the other side with the promise of new clarity.
In creating all her portraits Darby Raymond-Overstreet works from photographs, creating a digital drawing upon which she integrates photographs/scans of Navajo weavings woven between 1880 and1950. The portrait is printed onto canvas with archival inks and is integrated into the loom with yarn, a style unique to Raymond-Overstreet’s work. This particular portrait was made with a combination of various styles including banded, saddle, and eye dazzler. All of the Loom Portraits made by Darby Raymond-Overstreet are crafted to hang on a single nail.
