Using roadside flora as a metaphor, this series of textile works allowed Katherine to process her experiences and observations of our human need for belonging. Humans need to belong, to feel they are an integral and necessary part of a place or community. Yet, this feeling of belonging does not always come naturally for some, even within a populated area or social group. Roadside plants and weeds convey bravery, vulnerability, and resilience when considering their ability to thrive despite their environments. They can appear wild and beautiful, simultaneously emerging seemingly misplaced yet bravely anchored in the place they inhabit.

Each piece reflects time spent with the plants in fields and along roadsides of Caldwell and Iredell Counties in North Carolina. Katherine has combined digital printing, eco-printing, and various forms of stitching to create the pieces. Digital printing on fabric and paper impregnated with wildflower seeds reflected the plants through Katherine's gaze. Alternatively, eco-prints that Katherine has created with elements of the flora yielded marks directly from the plants, thus creating a collaboration between plant and artist. The stitching techniques utilized are combinations of quilting, a textile technique steeped in a rich heritage of community, and intricate silk and metal embroidery techniques, using contemporary manipulations to soften the traditional feel. The metal threads used are all offcasts and damaged bits left over from previous projects, lovingly saved for pieces that celebrate the tarnish and hide the damage through manipulating the techniques.

By isolating the plant images and exploring various layering methods, these compositions study roadside flora and their perceived characteristics to consider what it means and how it feels to struggle with the human need to belong. Foraging and stitching roadside plants provided time to contemplate what it means to belong and fostered empathy for others similarly longing to belong.