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 Winter Days
Winter Days, 1999
144 x 88 cm/
57 x 35 in
This piece is now in the
permanent collections of the Museum
of Arts & Design,
New York
This wallhanging completes the cycle of the four
seasons. The browns, greys and dull greens are contrasted with creams, white and
silver and with touches of sky-blue. Note the tiny dabs of bright red in each block.
Some years ago, I was fortunate to work on a wonderful nature book.
The author was a naturalist, as well as an accomplished artist. She was one
of those people who had managed to preserve something of the child's sense of
wonder. She could never understand people who saw winter as drab and devoid of
colour. She pointed to the crop of rose hips and hawthorn berries in the hedges, the
flash of a robin and the rich brown of oak leaves shimmering in the sunlight.
Suddenly, the landscape turned into the kingdom of the Snowqueen. I never forgot
what she made me see and wanted to re-create something of her vision in this piece.
The blocks are heavily embroidered and beaded,
using much kantha quilting, worked at varying density. The deep panel at
the base of the hanging was worked in cathedral window patchwork, using carefully graded
colours.
Besides the usual silks, I have used some
winter-weight woollen fabrics, velvets and other unexpected fabrics. I have also
used double ruching and included wooden beads and feathers in the design.
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