Renée Zettle-Sterling

Renée Zettle-Sterling’s series “Gone Before” draws power from its solemn material palette and evocative forms. The use of dense black fabrics, stitched embellishments, and oversized chain links creates a visual language of mourning and memory. These pieces, though soft in texture, feel weighty in intention, referencing the language of loss through materials that suggest both delicacy and permanence. The intricate beading and floral motifs evoke ritual adornment and the historical symbolism of Victorian mourning jewelry.

Formally, the work centers around repetition and layering. Each sewn petal and stitched chain carries a tactile presence, inviting viewers to consider the handmade in dialogue with grief. By combining textile techniques with jewelry structure, Zettle-Sterling blurs boundaries between garment and relic. The result is a body of work that is as much about remembrance as it is about resilience.