Waste as Pattern, Ghana 2022

In the summer of 2022, I began a two-week exploration into the intersection of textile waste and narrative motifs. My goal was to push the technical boundaries of batik: utilizing found environmental waste as my 'printing tools' to see how far hot wax could transform discarded materials into intentional patterns. This was a study in material resilience and the potential of found objects to carry a visual language.

Using everyday objects— baseball gloves, plastic bottles, and a TV remote—I developed patterns through stamping, engaging techniques widely practiced in West Africa while rethinking how waste can shape design.

This exploration remains an ongoing practice. I am looking to return to Ghana in the future to deepen this research, aiming to further integrate traditional West African techniques into my evolving material strategy."