In 2004 I began exploring frameless finishing and presentation methods for my work—-by embroidering the backs, resulting in two-sided wall pieces. This frameless approach was a continuation of the 3-dimensional embroidered book formats I started exploring in the mid-1990s. In the late 1990s and early 2000s I studied modern quilting and piecing techniques and materials, which enhanced my lifelong sewing and tailoring skills. The resulting synthesis provides a wealth of possibilities for two-sided embroideries.
AN ANNE SHIRLEY POEM ©Katherine Colwell 2006
12 ½” H x 12 ¼” W x 3/8” thick. Embroidered monotype. Pigment, silk, cotton, beads and silver bird charm on silk.
Hand dyed silk, cotton batting, grommets. $400, plus shipping, handling and insurance.
The imagery for this hand embroidered monotype is based on a plein air graphite drawing I created along a trail near McClure Pass here in Colorado on July 4, 1999. The drawings my embroideries are based on often are created years prior to the embroidery; they wait for the “right” synthesis with other materials and ideas. Some drawings I post in my studio, knowing I will sooner or later create a fiber work based on them. Most drawings are stored in my studio flat files. In 2004 I took a break from being a mentor/teacher and participated in a monoprinting-on-fabric workshop at the Mendocino Art Center. The monotype for “An Anne Shirley Poem” was the final print I pulled during the workshop; it was my last piece of fabric so I couldn’t pull a ghost print.
The beauty of the monotype inspired me to create “An Anne Shirley Poem” sooner rather than later, completing it in less than 18 months. I am always exploring mounting/hanging options; for this work I attached tiny grommet tabs which are used with nylon line to hang the piece away from a wall to display both sides. Without a ghost print for the reverse side, I used double-dyed silk from my stash of silk dye explorations, and repeated the aspen grove imagery in hand embroidery, but included “snow” of beads and documentation on the branches.
Techniques and materials:
Front—monotype (pigment on silk), size 50 silk sewing thread for hand quilting and running stitch aspen contours; Eterna silk floss satin and line stitches; Delica seed beads; bugle beads; size 15 seed beads; liner border of silk chiffon.
Reverse—-hand dyed silk chiffon; running stitch in size 50 silk sewing thread, whipped with metallic thread; bugle and seed beads; grommets; hand sewing with size 50 cotton thread.
Binding/border—same silk the monotype is printed on.
In the early 2000s, for some reason my mother thought I was an Anne of Green Gables devotee; Mom made sure I had all seven books in L.M. Montgomery’s early 1900s series. I did become a fan, and the following quote from the second in her series sums up all the type of “poems” that we have here at Rivendell—-just waiting for us to see and “hear” them.
“Look, do you see that poem?” she said suddenly, pointing.“Where?” Jane and Diana stared, as if expecting to see Runic rhymes on the birch trees.
“There…down in the brook…that old green mossy log with the water flowing over it in those smooth ripples that look as if they’d been combed, and that single shaft of sunshine falling right athwart it, far down into the pool. Oh, it’s the most beautiful poem I ever saw.”
“I should rather call it a picture,” said Jane. “A poem is lines and verses.”
“Oh dear me, no.” Anne shook her head… “The lines and verses are only the outward garments of the poem and are no more really it than your ruffles and flounces are you, Jane. The real poem is the soul within them…and that beautiful bit is the soul of an unwritten poem…”
ANNE OF AVONLEA L. M. Montgomery. 1909. Bantam Books 1992, p.109-110.
This Two-Sided Embroidery is one of several two-sided embroideries currently available. Eventually I will have more works available through our website. Please click here for more information, or to reserve lodging and take a studio-gallery tour to see “An Anne Shirley Poem” and other works in person.
- Prices listed are retail.
- Please click here to contact us for shipping, insurance, and sales tax figures for the artwork you are interested in.
- Sales tax is applicable if you are a resident of Colorado.
- Full payment is required with your order.
- We accept personal checks and money orders, and will ship upon check clearance.
(To keep our costs as low as possible, we do not accept credit cards.) - We use Priority Mail with the US Postal Service.
- AN ANNE SHIRLEY POEM horizontal detail ©Katherine Colwell 2006 Hand Embroidered Monotype.
As always, we look forward to sharing Rivendell’s “poems” with you, through merging awareness, creativity and nature.