Thesis 2025 / Elizabeth Blackwell

Battles in Limbo is an exhibition that’s become a part of my grieving process. My dad started multiple lumber yards. He started one with my grandfather called Indiana Lumber. My dad died unexpectedly when I was four and everyone really struggled to continue living. My grandfather kept the lumber yard going for as long as he could. He died in 2021 and that side of my family fell apart again. My work in Battles in Limbo is in memoriam to them and a way for me to be close to them, while also exploring what I enjoy in woodworking. Through this work, I find the joy in grief, to celebrate life and play.

I created an interactive world of games illustrating the journey of my protagonist, Ellie, the cyclops, finding her way through limbo. Limbo is a space between heaven and hell for lost souls. Audiences are instructed through each game by Starry, a guardian spirit assisting Ellie through limbo to the afterlife. Everyone approaches games differently and everyone grieves differently, so there are two endings to this journey. I don’t think there is a wrong way to grieve, but there are harmful ways to do so. I created two possible endings to show how one can choose to learn to live with grief, or to fight reality and live in delusion with their denial.

A denial chosen playthrough will result in Ellie forever fighting fish in limbo. The hungry fish are other lost souls who have become vengeful and monstrous. The blue tone colors used for the fish show their decline in spirit. When a soul is first transformed into a fish, they become dark blue. The longer a soul is stuck in limbo as a fish, the lighter they become and the more unsound of mind. A successful playthrough ends with Ellie reaching the afterlife and becoming a star, surrounded by other souls who have become at peace.

I chose to use bright colors with my work to reflect the brightness of children's toys. I take a lot of references from the toys of my childhood, especially the games that caused me the most frustration. I’m dyslexic, so pattern recognition was always something I struggled with. With my games, I wanted to make pattern recognition games that make sense to me. I enjoy embedding elements of frustration for my audience, finding a balance of frustrating and fun play. I focused on a puzzle, marble mazes, and tic-tac-toe, creating unique situations of frustration for each. My puzzle includes a false piece that doesn't connect. The marble mazes have fake entrances that block marbles and can lead them into falling into holes. My tic-tac-toe board pieces are engraved with Starry on the back, either making fun of or encouraging players. All of these games were torture for me as a child, but I was constantly made to do them, as homework so I was on track for my learning development.

In making this thesis work, I tried to keep a balance of doing things by hand and relying on machines. I used the CNC (computer numerical control) and the laser cutter (a lot), and hand sanded almost everything. My grandfather taught me to appreciate the control and beauty of hand sanding pieces, and also using only clear coat wood finish to find the beauty in the pattern of wood grain. I personally like to paint over wood and keep small exposed elements of the wood’s grain, so this work blends my and my grandfather’s sensibilities.

Through experiencing my games, I want audiences to relate to my child self. The frustration with problem solving becomes determination to succeed and the joy of that. The element of the show which gives a moment of rest from play to write a message to a loved one and submit it to a wooden box that can’t be opened is so my audience can hopefully acknowledge the give and take of grief. The give and take of grief is never ending, but hopefully here it can be joyful.

Website: https://www.elizabethblackwell.work/
Instagram: @_blackwell_art