Labor of care

This thesis, told through the process of quilting a large paper bag, reflects my exploration into the relationships between personal and gendered labor. Guided by my lived experiences with mental illness and growing up female in a patriarchal society, I examine invisible labor, both that of taking care of oneself and the gendered labor—mental, physical, and emotional—that society demands of women. Through the steps of designing the quilt and preparing the materials, I delve into the significance of my recurring motif of the paper bag. Guided by the writings of Ursula K. Le Guin and Elizabeth Fisher on the Carrier Bag Theory, I explore the history and relevance of the container and how that pertains to the paper bag. I also address my other primary motifs, including honeycomb packing paper, quilting, and self-portraiture, and consider how they, alongside the bag, function as representations of myself, my personal labor, and of societal gendered labor.

As I follow the quilting process, I address the repetition of piecing together a paper quilt, highlighting the importance of cycles and feedback loops in my materials and processes. These cycles of repetition in quilting mirror the repetitive nature of caring for oneself and others. I also examine the labor-intensive methods of printmaking, quilting, papermaking, and sculpture that I use, the importance of process-driven creation in my work, and my consideration of labor as a medium. As I near the end of the quilting process, I explore the role of windows and how they reveal the typically unseen interior of the bag, presenting a moment of intimacy and vulnerability as I contemplate how to make my labor visible.