Adjust, Attend, Respond
The cocoon makers and their stories
1 Caleb Gerard
The road tag enclosed in the cocoon was given to me by my wife and kids to make sure that when I ran, pre-devices, if I were hurt I had contact info on me.
2 Anonymous
Story withheld by maker request
3 Martha Miner
My 103 year old Mother passed away in September 2025. She an amazing full life but worry was a constant companion through her whole life. My object is a Guatemalen worry doll. She loved her travel to Guatemala, so this seemed the perfect object for this project. Throughout her final years, we had many, many conversations and hours of pep talks trying to navigate her worries. So no more worries for her now!
4 Carolyn Sechler
Enclosed in the cocoon is a photo of my grandson at his impish stage. While I miss this period deeply, I celebrate his blossoming into a unique being. This cocoon helps me preserve a moment in a time of pure angelic whimsy.
5 Tatiana Baeva
Story withheld by maker request
6 Anonymous
My city used to recycle plastic, but they don't anymore. I try to use as little plastic as possible, but food and most anything else you buy comes in some kind of plastic or another. I grabbed a few pieces of plastic to wrap up to keep a few non-recyclables out of the landfill as a small prayer of protection for the environment.
7 Brett Bezio
My cocoon contains a duplicate of my partner's passport photo. When Walgreens, or wherever, printed the photo, they printed two. I stashed on for my wallet. I have plenty of photos of them in my phone, but having a physical copy was novel. I hadn't thought too much about it prior to having it in hand, but it immediately felt precious (especially considering how mych my partner loathes pictures of themself). I couldn't printed a better picture, but the spontaneity of this one contained a value that couldn't be replicated by something more ... manufactured or deliberate. I can't say why that is. Just sentimentality, I suppose.
8 Anonymous
Story withheld by maker request
9 Anonymous
Story withheld by maker request
10 Trish Hord-Heatherley
I wrapped a prayer of protection for democracy.
11 Anonymous
The folded up 8.5 x 11" paper holds the names of all the current US Senators, marked up with highlighteres. It represents all the phone calls (emotional labor) I have invested in RESIST this @#!@#! Administration (including calling up to 53 senators for one bill).
12 Ann Hord-Heatherly
I wrote the characteristics I am trying to protect in these turbulent political times: non-judgement and equanimity.
13 Joan Baron
My tiny stone is composed of many layers that carry the history of Mother Earth. She is sensitive to all lives and watches over my brother, who recently had triple bypass surgery. He loved collecting rock and srystals as a child. This stone holds him no with loving, tender kindness.
14 Stephannie Quick
Rather than representing aggression, for me the sword represents defense and protection; the constant vigilance and heavy responsibility of anticipating danger before it arrives and carrying the invisible burden of protecting my family's future. With a husband who has a very carefree, worry free approach to life, I am the one who does the mental and emotional work of safeguarding financial and family stability, while also bearing the weight of monitoring the vulnerabilities that could threaten my family's foundation. The sword embodies the exhausting responsibility of confronting difficult realities: worrying about my husband’s choices that could fracture trust and security, guiding and educating my daughters through risks such as teen pregnancy, substance abuse, sexual violence, and exploitation, and remaining alert to the countless visible and invisible threats which would be greatly reduced if it were a shared responsibility.
115 Trudi Watkins
You were such an inspiration for me with all of your art and dying tech! I had to share!
16 Isabel Coffey-Pratt
My best friend Nina had to get this teas set (that she made in HS Ceramics) out of her house quickly. She entrusted it to me for safe-keeping, and one of my cats broke the lid. I felt so much sadness about damaging this handmade, precious item but now it's safely cocoons and part of a new artistic endeavor. <3
17 Marla Hattabaugh
The object is a matchbook with the name Martini — if I take off the final "i" it's name of my ex-husband. I like the idea that he's wrapped in softness to protect him from himself and his destructive tendencies ... that just came to me. Thanks! Who knew?