Growing up Pennsylvania Dutch, I have always had a strong connection to my culture’s instantly recognizable artistic motifs. Hex signs, fraktur, and other parts of our folk art canon all stem from the various traditions of Bauermalerei which were brought to Pennsylvania a few centuries ago by people emigrating from regions like the Pfalz, Elsass, Switzerland and Suabia. I am interested in showcasing how the geometric nature of these symbols and patterns are able to weave themselves in and out of the landscape one might see in the “Dutch Country” of Pennsylvania. I create a mosaic, or stained glass effect using these symbols, as well as the written word of the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect. This becomes the decorative backdrop which illuminates my interpretation of the people and places I am most familiar with.