The title SUTRA in sanskrit means to stitch, to mend, to bring together, to heal. This body of work drew Tomlin to a more abstract approach to painting and drawing including the layering of collage materials and stitching directly on the canvas. Text based on comments by doctors and friends during her treatment is also significant to this work. Painting on top of overflowing and overlapping text expresses Tomlin’s grief and anger. Stitching directly on the canvas with yarn and thread reframes her sutures and scars through the lens of darning and mending, traditionally women’s work, transforming an object ripped and torn into a material stronger and more beautiful by the act of repair.