February 23, 2008

Christmas fern


As I anxiously await the first crocuses and dwarf bulbous irises, which should be appearing once the current snow/ice cover melts off, I continue to appreciate those bits of vegetation that stay green all winter, like the christmas fern. I took the above picture just a few days ago, at the trail around the lake where they grow wild, and where it's easy to spot them in the preponderance of brown. I also grow a few in my perennial beds, and they are a perennial theme in my work.


This small quilt features a cyanotype on silk, handpainted fabrics, and hand beadwork. It is sewn to another piece of handpainted cotton, which is then mounted on stretcher boards:
Here's another small silken quilt, mounted on mat board:
This is from The Last Hurrah series that I just finished and talked about in previous posts. I decided to keep this one for myself:
I made this heliographic print on silk, shown here as it was printing, a few years ago and pinned it to my design wall, where it remains. It's so lovely just as it is that I haven't figured out any way to enhance it yet:

4 comments:

Karen Stiehl Osborn said...

Sue, I am intrigued with this fern. Is this one that would survive the harsh winters here in Nebraska? If so, are there any drawbacks to adding one or two to an outdoor garden? Thanks!

Sue Reno said...

Hi Karen, christmas ferns are rated as hardy to zone 4, which is about -25 degrees F, maybe a bit more in a sheltered location. No drawbacks of any kind--they are native, not invasive, and lovely in all seasons.

Kathleen C said...

Hello: I've just discovered your ferns which are lovely, particularly those on blue, surrounded by contrasting strips of fabric. Your works are graceful parts of nature displayed on fabric. Thank you for sharing with us.
Kathleen

Sue Reno said...

Hi Kathleen, thanks for stopping by, and for your kind comment.