BE/HEALING

Trauma-informed textile artist Olivia Mae Sinclair works with screen-printed linen and handwritten text to explore cycles of healing, stillness, and rest.

“DesignTO marks another year of growth for me as both an artist and a person. In the past, I have tried to dig deeper by reopening the same wounds in search of meaning. This year, I want to ask what it means to stop doing that. My identity cannot exist only in pain. When does release become possible? When does holding on turn into harm?”

— Olivia Mae Sinclair

Be/Healing examines the act of letting go of memories that no longer serve us. The work explores the tension between release and repetition, and the challenge of finding comfort without reverting to pain.

Inside the gallery, screen-printed fabric books and wall hangings combine text, image, and touch. Large-scale depictions of intimate spaces are paired with original poetry, inviting visitors to engage with the work both physically and emotionally.

Recurring themes include remembrance, recovery, self-compassion, and the quiet labour of unmaking. Sinclair’s practice reflects on what it means to rest within healing rather than chase it