RV Scraps

For the past three winters my husband and I have lived in an RV in Vermont while building a house. Many people were skeptical. However, one experienced voice said it was doable, even though “the walls at times had ice on the inside” I thought Ok, I can handle that. This is the first time that I have used my art experience to help me and another person survive. I designed and sewed a skirt around our rv to keep the pipes from freezing. It was not an easy process and took many months, in fact most of the first winter. These objects are made from sewing tests that I did for the rv skirt. There were times when I had to test my stitches, grommets, and machine, and so scraps were left over. As the first winter came to end, I rented an art studio and made these tiny fabric sketches from the RV skirt scraps. My art seemed a luxury after working on a utilitarian object that helped my husband and I survive the cold.

Kate Ruddle – Fair Housing Exhibit