Artist Statement for Creature Comfort

Behind the house where I grew up, a creek runs from the Patapsco River. As a child, I would splash in the muddy water, collect toads and watch tadpoles grow. As a teenager, I would sit by the stream to draw, read, and share my feelings with the bugs. I felt safe and protected by the ecosystem, and that special place inspired my set of crochet comfort objects, designed to aid students in self soothing. 
In researching how to best accommodate students in self soothing, I first became interested in weighted lap pads. Weighted lap pads typically weigh 5% of a child's body weight, and are used to help children with Anxiety, OCD, PTSD, Autism and more. They work by using Deep Touch Pressure, a firm gentle pressure that relaxes the nervous system and helps children focus.
Inspired by this tool, I created Shelldon the turtle. Shelldon is about 18 inches long and crocheted from soft plush yarn, with big button eyes. He is weighted with two pounds of dry beans and filled with lavender and plush cotton fill. I created Shelldon as a friend to sit on future students' laps to help them in times of stress and anxiety. For friends for Shelldon, I made two additional weighted plushies, Frankie the Frog and Mallory Mallard. Next, I created five fidget toys that can be held in a student's hands to give an outlet to restless and anxious feelings through play. Finally, I created a sensory pond mat, as a place to play with the ecosystem of creatures and ground students with sensory experiences. 
Crochet has a twofold purpose to me, not only is it pleasant and soft to touch and hold, but provides a source of relaxation to me as I create it. I create my own designs; the pieces have completely original patterns. I have always loved crochet as a way to wind down in the evenings, and I am grateful that this project gave me the opportunity to elevate my crochet to the status of fine art as well as functional art. I hope my collection of crochet objects will not only serve to soothe students as lap pillows and fidgets, but also set an example of how art can serve an important purpose.