Greeter #l  -  15"x41" - woven, crochet motifs - Materials: Tansey stems, linen, hand-spun wool, cedar bark




Greeter #2 - 15"x56" - woven - Materials: Tansey stem, linen, hand-spun wool, cedar bark



Greeter#3 - 10"x67 1/2" - woven - Materials: Horse hair, linen, cedar bark, acorn caps.



Greeter #4 - 19"x65" - woven - Materials: linen, sisal unbleached torn cotton,, cedar bark, cedar root, acorn caps



Greeter#5 - 16"x77" - woven - Materials: goat's  hair, linen, birch bark

FIBRE ART - ZEN SERIES

Five Sisters - 15"x69" crochet - Materials:  linen, maple stems




Still Point I  -  11"x73" crochet - Materials:  linen, acorn caps




Still Point II  -  12" x 71"  crochet - Materials:  linen

BLESSING LEAVES

Tracking An Idea:

Often the question is asked of an artist, "Where do you get your ideas from", this was asked regularly in regard to my stitched magnolia leaves.  I decided to take on the challenge and spend some time contemplating,  to see if I could track where the initial inspiration had come from.

"From whence had the seed been planted from which my imagination birthed the idea"?

I started this activity in about 2008, that is stitching the outside edge of evergreen magnolia leaves with metallic gold thread, incorporating a loop at the end by which it could be hung.

Approximately three years earlier my niece, close friend and confidante Chloe, had gifted me a beautiful golden brown magnolia leaf she had found on the way to my place, the leaf was completely dried, maintaining its beautiful shape, curling a bit at the edges, it looked as though it had been carved from leather.  The leaf was displayed in various places around my home, as many found objects which i call "natures gifts" .  The leaf was admired and interacted with in various ways often experimenting with placing different small objects  on its surface,, finally deciding on a beautiful Flicker tail feather, the combination became the study for a small water colour painting.  I was always amazed at the leaf's durability over the years.

Then one day I started a collection of magnolia leaves that would start falling in July.  I soon discovered the advantage of rubbing them with oil, fortunately I had made a salve from various oils & bees wax using the balm of gilead which comes from the cotton wood trees in the spring.  The fragrance adding to the total effect transporting one to the natural world.  I suddenly wanted to be able to hang the leaves and so the stitching began, using embroidery threads at the beginning and experimenting with stitching ideas soon discovering my preference for the gold metallic thread.  I remember clearly one day running out of thread before I had made my way around the leaf to discover how in so doing, the leaf would then hang on a different angle, a small but exciting discovery and what fun to play with hanging them in various places around my household including the Xmas tree one year.

Mostly I have gifted the leaves to friends and acquaintances over the years referring to them as "Natures Blessings". My long term plan if for the Blessing Leaves to be used in creating an installation piece for an exhibition space in 2012. Keep in touch and I will keep you posted.