Bittersweet
Juried into AQS Paducah 2015 – Phoenix 2016 – 3rd NQA 2014 – Des Moines 2016 – LMQG 1st 2016
This Native American landscape began as a challenge for my art quilt group Thread Heads. I spent many hours researching the Cherokee Indians of the Blue Ridge Mountains where I live. In American Indian Heritage the Cherokee rose represents the loss of their native land. According to legend this rose had seven leaflets. Seven are quilted in the foreground. I first discharged some of the leaves and the trees in the foreground and inked them, then machine pieced the background. All of the flowers and some leaves are turned on Mylar batted and appliqued by hand. The mud blocks are drawn on batik fabric with ink and are applied in sections then the blocks are quilted with Silk 100. The ladder, flower centers and some leaves are digitized thread pieces. Beads cover the flower centers. The ghost quilted mask were line drawings from authentic mask. Many colors are used to reflect the natural landscape.