Blizzard of 2013

February 8 and 9 respectively, here are before and after images of the blizzard of 2013 here in Connecticut. 27" of snow, and some places upwards of 40". We have been snug and warm here in our antique house, and as the snow blew in, I was forced to spend time in the studio! Below is an experiment in art quilting. The base fabric was a piece from some fabric marbling I had done in the fall. As I looked at it, covered with swirls in green and blue, I was not sure what to do with it. Once I free motion quilted it, with a metallic copper thread, it reminded me of water. Then, the first thing that came to mind was a kayak trip my friend Kris and I made last summer on a hot July morning, to a quiet backwater on Sebago Lake in Maine. The lake was like glass, and the sun shown down through the water to the aquatic flora and fauna below. It was intensely colored, and the sunlight rippled off the bottom of the lake, illuminating everything beneath the surface. So, that became the inspiration for the piece! Sinuous lily pad stalks, tiny fish, and lots of sparkles. This piece measures 4 by 5 inches. The quilt is painted with Jacquard textile paints, and hand stitched with French knots and beads. The edge is satin stitched with Sulky metallic thread in a variegated color way.