The Chandler Center for the Arts and the White River Craft Center are two sweet venues in Randolph, Vermont, just down the road from our place. For the first time ever, they are hosting a collaborative show, Hidden Messages: Old and New, a Fiber Arts Exhibition. You can read more about the show here.
A while back, I was delighted to be invited to submit work for the show. After I got over my nerves (again???) I did a bit of brainstorming of ideas, with a list that included cross outs, arrows and doodles. The quilts made with cues for the Underground Railroad came to mind, along with the symbols used by hobos to mark gate posts. The code breakers and mound builders and standing stones were all under consideration.
In the end, the beauty of this place here on the ridge came through with the strongest voice.
Are you surprised?
I’m calling my piece “Whispers from Nature”.
I began with the quilted foundation…
I stitched a very traditional nine patch, one of the most basic quilt squares I know of. I sewed it with a natural colored linen blend, and linen dyed with my homegrown indigo. I used a favorite gingham check from my stash, two soft browns woven together, for the binding.
Next came the embellishments, filled with the “hidden meanings”. The birchbark reminded me of layers of meaning. I invite you to consider the two pebbles…what do they conjure for you?
How could I resist a cross cut of wood…and the passage of time that it invokes? Secured with a bit of leather from the factory floor at Vermont Glove, it feels pretty darn local. The acorn caps (see first photo) remind me that even Mother Nature knows when it’s time to let go.
I was so pleased when I heard this piece had been accepted, and even more chuffed when I learned that an image would be included on the post card announcing the show.
So there you have it.
A surprise invitation, a gathering of courage, the planning, the doing and the surprise outcome!
I’m really looking forward to seeing all the other pieces in both shows!
PS I’m very excited about this new opportunity for exercising my muscle of hope. If you are an On Being and /or Krista Tippett fan, check it out!
PPS Check out this amazing new project put together by the Craftivist Collective. The images alone will make you smile.