Deep Thoughts

"And each good thought or action moves the dark world nearer to the sun."

Whittier

About My Work

I have always been a storyteller. My drawings as a child always had stories in them, and my fiber work as an adult has continued in this vein. A poem, a song, a quote, a scene...any can evoke an image in my mind which then becomes one of my pieces. I pull colors, cut freehand (except on very detailed images), do "bare bones" sketches, and begin pinning and sewing intuitively as I go. I am centered, meditative, peaceful.

I love handwork, the feel texturally and emotionally of using my hands, of being so intimately inside the process. I work in layers, with the embroidery, the applique, the beads, the quilting, all being integral parts of the piece. They are not embellishments, not a small section that is "different"...they add, and are, the depth, the movement, the texture, of the work. I believe the spirit of the maker becomes a part of her work, that it naturally permeates the materials she uses and holds. I see great beauty in the fact that handwork is not perfect, that no stitches are the same, that an edge is not even...each stitch, thread, bead, emerging in its own way and time, just as each of us grows into her Self.

Burst Of Joy

This is the full picture of the detail image on the header. The whirling, light, intense sensation that arises suddenly from deep inside---an instantaneous recognition and feeling of aliveness--a Burst of Joy!

It is hand pieced, appliqued, embroidered, and beaded.

Deep Thoughts

Let us reflect on what is truly of value in life,

what gives meaning to our lives,

and set our priorities on the basis of that.

It's About Time!

                                    "Grow Old With Me"                                
          I've grown old trying to get this blog started. I wish I could say I had really good reasons for this, but it's about technological ineptitude, going almost back to communication with two tin cans and a string---the good old days.

          I do all my work by hand. This piece is done entirely with embroidery chain and stem stitches. I start with a "stick" figure sketch on plain muslin. I then begin to stitch, curving and meandering, changing colors and threads and directions as I go. My "plan" evolves as I sew, sometimes ending up as I had pictured, sometimes entirely different. This piece uses my love of trees physically and metaphorically, teaching us about life and love.