Take It Further Challenge - January 2008 -

January's challenge was to design a project based upon someone you admire. In my case, I chose my mother. (See what the group has done by going here. and more about the challenge here. As I worked through the project, I realized that the qualities that make her admirable are also those that I treasure in my closest friends and family members: courage, steadfastness, loyalty, honesty, peace, compassion, tolerance. In my mother's case, these are a reflection of a religious faith that has been a part of her make-up for all her life. Separate from that, I believe that these traits are some of the best we humans have to offer, regardless of nationality, culture, gender, ethnicity, or religious belief. I chose a rural scene with mountains in the distance--a scene my mom would love, but also a symbolic one, I think. ("I will look to the hills from whence cometh my strength.") I placed bright yellow circular sun in a clear blue sky. I imprinted the traits I admire on an organza overlay and cut this fabric in a traditional steepled church shape. I wanted the church to overlay the natural environment, because a belief system that limits itself to the four walls of a brick and mortar structure is not worth very much (in my humble opinion). Instead, I feel that the principles which guide a life should be fully intergrated into the everyday trappings of our existence (a big goal, but one worth striving for).
I did make a design choice which I may regret--I decided to quilt over the organza overlay and incorporate it into the underlying piece. I think I may change that.
I embroidered a very crooked line of coral stitch ) thank you Sharon B's stitch encyclopedia: along the base of the mountains to give them some bottom weight and tie them into the environment. (I suspect that the "crookedness" of the stitch might make it something other than the coral stitch, but I am genetically unequipped to do the beautiful embroidery work that I admire so much.
The fabrics for the landscape are hand-dyed leftovers from a Melody Johnson fusing workshop. (Melody generously shares her lazy dyer's dying method here.)
Taking this further: I know I'll continue to explore the theme of the organized church and its influence (both positive and negative) on society in the southeastern part of the U.S. in future pieces.
pdc