In which decisions are made

The project of tralings immediately excited me. Inspired by my relationship with the world, and thinking this project was going to be simple and meditative, I sat down to start working. 

 I was perplexed with the method, thinking something I was doing was wrong, since my trailings seemed to not look quite like they should. I re-read the instructions, watched the short films for inspiration, and finally understood that all that I was doing wrong was twisting the paper too much in the beginning. The trailings started to work.

The methodology of attachment was one of the most interesting parts of this process. I tried glue, tape, and sewing, and they all had their faults. All I had access to in the beginning was tape, which through trial and error, I learned that as you cut and cut, the tape no longer is sticking to each other, and needs to be reattached commonly. I went and got some glue. With glue, I got impatient, and it didn't really hold less malleable objects together for long enough. Sewing was the most ideal and most fun, except with paper, where it became delicate and easily breakable. Maybe I should have tried a larger stitch.

I wanted to try to use different materials such as fabric, newspaper, and plastic bags. I appreciated the more malleable materials since it made the process more enjoyable and I could make them longer and longer.

I thought it would be a cool idea to use surgical masks, since they are such an important aspect of our lives right now. I liked how the material was double coated, giving different colors, and textures to the trailing. This medical mask trailing ironically was the biggest downfall in my project. When I was stabbing the mask with scissors, I pushed too hard and when it finally poked through, I sliced my finger open with the scissors.

The rest of the trailings were done mostly with one hand, adding a fun challenge to this project. I decided that all of the trailings were part of one journey throughout this process, hence the installation of them together. I felt like they worked together to tell a continuous story of blood drawn, choices made, and materials bounded together harmoniously.