Art has been a steady presence in Kristen’s life, often fitting into the spaces between other responsibilities – stolen moments after her children were asleep and work was complete. Over time, the creative part of Kristen exerted an increasingly irresistible pull on her attention, demanding more room to exist.

When a layoff in 2024 unexpectedly provided her with the flexibility she’d been craving, Kristen saw opportunity to dedicate herself to creative exploration.

Without any particular expectation, she followed her artistic interests wherever they led. During this “Wandering Time” she returned to her childhood love of illustration, discovered the joy of playing her banjo in community at local jams, and deepened her practice of weaving.

Weaving particularly resonates with this wanderer’s mentality. Kristen approaches each piece without rigid plans, beginning only with an intuitive sense of colors and textures, allowing the work to take shape organically at the loom. She embraces every “mistake” as an invitation to explore new directions, often leading to unexpected beauty. Through this process of discovery, her technical skills, color sensibility, and artistic voice evolved naturally.

This period of open-ended creativity led to unexpected opportunities, including this exhibition at Loop of the Loom—a reflection of what can develop when we allow ourselves the freedom to wander.