I added a boro cloth border. My friend Jean-Pierre sent me some beautiful shreds of cloth from Kyoto, and I cut (Yikes!) and pieced them with a scrap of kasuri (lower right corner) and some katazome (upper border) that I got from Britex in San Francisco several years ago.
I found a tiny shell to add to the beach scene. (EARTH and WATER)
The patinated brass disk I found on the beach became a sun image. I embroidered a twelve-rayed, whirling solar fire around it. This element was stitched and pulled out twice because I wasn't satisfied with it. (FIRE)
The flowing tail of the horse echoes the flames of the sun.
The wind horse (AIR) carries prayer from earth to heaven.
Just be.
There has been a series happening, so slowly that if you are new here you might have missed it. The other pieces can be seen here, here, and here.
*Now that the piece has been delivered to its intended recipient, I can tell you how it began. It was commissioned by Jean-Pierre Antonio as a house-warming gift for our mutual friend Jacqueline Pearce. The piece contains fabric sent to me over the years by J.-P. and the yellow of the sun is from a small piece of antique cotton Jacquie bought on her first trip to Japan.
I am speechless :)
ReplyDeleteThat is an incredibly beautiful piece, Heather! You done good. :)
ReplyDeleteSheer poetry in thread! No point saying anything else. You've expressed your vision perfectly.
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Thank you again, Heather and Jean-Pierre! The piece is hanging in the perfect spot where I can look up at it from my desk and feel inspired. I love the way the boro cloth stitches sort of connect or continue on through your stitches, Heather (kind of like the passing of a sewing needle baton from one woman to another across time and place). I look at the old stitches and wonder about the stories behind them. I also love the way the work has the elements of earth, air, fire and water, as well as past, present and future (the seascape in the centre is almost like a window looking into the distance/potential).... (Please pardon my wordiness)
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