New Work - In Dreams I Flew Over the River

I’m excited to reveal my latest work, In Dreams I Flew Over the River.

In Dreams I Flew Over the River

It’s the culmination of a lifetime spent living near the Susquehanna River.  It kept appearing in my dreams, so I transported it into my waking hours with textiles.

In Dreams I Flew Over the River, Detail 1

It’s all there--the visible surface currents, the treacherous undercurrents, the many rocks and small islands, the wide variations in depth and breadth, the beauty on a calm day, and the tremendous destructive power when it floods.

In Dreams I Flew Over the River, Detail 2

Some of the shores are lined with productive farmland.  When I was a kid in central PA, I had an uncle who owned an island.  One summer when the river was very low, he drove an old International tractor across the shallows, and kept it in a shed on the island.   He grew corn and other garden crops there, and fished from the banks. 

In Dreams I Flew Over the River, Detail 3

Here in southern Lancaster County, the banks rise into my beloved River Hills, which enfold my favorite hiking spots and the landscapes that provide much of the inspiration for my botanical work.

I began this work by needlefelting the river, layering wool roving and silk snippets and fibers to build up the depth, textures, and transparencies of the river.  The banks are also needlefelted with silks and wool, and couched lace.   The borders are silks that I free-form pleated and manipulated.  I then layered it with batting and a backing fabric, and heavily quilted and stitched it to add even more texture, depth and movement.

The size is 54”h x 43”w. 

Thanks to all my readers and friends for your ongoing support and encouragement.