Fly Away, 1993
Fabric construction with cowrie shells, beads, buttons, copper, silver charms, lockets, stuffed birds, on cotton, felt
76 x 57 inches
Signed, dated, and inscribed by the artist
Fly Away Home, 1993
Fabric construction with silver charms on cotton, felt
45 x 33 inches
Signed, dated, and inscribed by the artist
Healing Shirt, 2007
Fabric construction with cowrie shells, copper, silver charms, clothespins, rubber-stamped talisman on cotton, felt
48 x 55 inches
Signed, dated, and inscribed by the artist
Palm 23, 2008
Fabric construction with a vintage photograph, silver charms on cotton
55 x 44 inches
Signed, dated, and inscribed Bible verses, “Psalm 23” and “Psalm 39” on the vintage photograph, in black ink on recto by the artist
Roots of Memory, 2008
Fabric construction with a vintage photograph, cowrie shells, beads, buttons, copper, gold, silver charms on cotton
52 x 40 inches
Signed, dated, and inscribed by the artist
Janet Taylor Pickett
CONJURE
October 13 – November 30, 2025
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Janet Taylor Pickett’s fabric constructions commenced in the early 1990s, featuring imagery that was deeply personal yet accessible. Her work investigated themes related to ecology, motherhood, and transcendence. A profound sense of loss prompted her to reconsider what truly matters in a well-lived life. An aphorism reinforced her conviction in navigating adversity to discover what is life-affirming. These works resonate as familiar and inviting, illustrating connections that evoke the past and paving the way with new materials and directions. CONJURE provides a succinct overview of Taylor Pickett’s fabric constructions from 1993 to 2022.
Memory serves as a living metaphor in Taylor Pickett’s art. In 1991, she took part in a workshop at the Vermont Studio Center with the renowned Color Field and abstractionist painter Sam Gilliam. Inspired by his innovative use of beveled edges and drapes over paintings, Taylor Pickett was encouraged to go beyond flat surfaces and include sculptural elements in her work. As a result, she created compelling, grommet-mural pieces. In January 1993, her father passed away; he was like a tall oak tree whom she admired and loved. On a clear autumn morning in November 1996, her mother also passed away; she was a guiding presence in Taylor Pickett’s signature visual motifs: fabrics, botanicals, birds, and flowers. As an only child, the loss of her parents marked a major turning point in her life and lowered her vitality, leading to a creative block.
The 1990s brought significant changes to Taylor Pickett’s life and her artistic journey; the concept of memory became central to her creative work. When she experienced painter’s block, she turned to fabric as a form of expression. Influences from Romare Bearden, Henri Matisse—her artistic predecessors—and her paternal grandmother, a quilter, inspired her fabric art. Quilting, a calming and comforting craft, helped Taylor Pickett transform her grief into a healing experience. Through sewing and stitching, her grief becomes a nourishing and joyful legacy that guides her forward.
CONJURE, a collection of fabric constructions, aims to document the artist’s ongoing journey of self-actualization—“homing.” Surrounded by vibrant colors, tendrils of flora, and intricate textiles, the subjects in Janet Taylor Pickett’s work dominate their lively environment, commanding the frame as the essential element in each fabric piece. It draws inspiration from actively shaping and refining memories into a comforting space for the mind, which the artist’s personal geography—the self-landscape of memory—reveals.
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