Patterns Without Borders
Flags for Our Human Unity
22 hand-sewn nylon flags, 3’ x 5’ each
Commissioned by the City of Sonoma, Patterns Without Borders is a community-based project that invites reflection on the meaning of unity in an increasingly divided world. Conceived in response to the Bear Flag Rebellion of 1846—the event that gave rise to California’s state flag—the project reimagines the symbolism of flags, not as emblems of separation, but as expressions of our shared human essence.
Working closely with students from four Sonoma middle schools, I led a collaborative exploration into the fundamental patterns connecting all life forms. Together, we discovered that mathematics—through geometry, proportion, and number—reveals an underlying structure shared by nature and humanity alike. From these insights emerged twenty-two hand-sewn flags, each celebrating both individuality and interconnection.
Just as the two halves of an apple remain one fruit, our differences do not divide us—they enrich the single, living whole to which we all belong. Through color, pattern, and form, Patterns Without Borders honors the unity that transcends nations, cultures, and borders.
With special thanks to the students of Altimira Middle School, Adele Harrison Middle School, Woodland Star School, and Sonoma Charter School; Peggy Fever, John Graham, Elizabeth Tashman, Shelly Willis; Vintage House; and their volunteer seamstresses—Linda Arnold, Patricia Bolton, Mary Minton, Bonnie Orr, and Florence Osuma.