walking on the exposed, sandy beaches of the west coast of vancouver island can feel like taking a big, deep breath. it feels good for the head, the body and the soul. this stitched piece is my attempt to capture that feeling a little bit, capture a bit of strolling along the shore, watching for bits of treasure washed up by the waves.
coils of bull kelp are washed up on the sand, along with blue mussels and other shells. grey snags poke up through the treeline of the forest backing the beach, and two large rocks poke out of the sand, covered in barnacles and seaweed. "wide open" is all hand stitched, and measures 31" x 21.5", with a mix of natural fibres and bamboo batting. it's now listed in the shop.
i've also added two new humpbacks as well. i really like this one - his nose has layers of sashiko stitching, to protect a particularly well-loved spot on the denim. i like to think of it as a sign of weathering a few storms, something any good whale should do.
hope you had a good weekend - i got my first sunburn of the year sitting out on the lawn yesterday. awkwardly, it covers just a few inches on my ankle, where my skin was exposed below my pants cuff. yup, i'm cool like that.
8 comments:
my word, Kristy, this new piece is breathtaking, and the whale does wear this worn out/ weathered look so perfectly. I also adore how their eyes are so lively. You really are so good with animal soft sculptures !
oh dear, sorry about the sunburn, not fun !
have a great week ahead ! xoxo
Breath taking. I absolutely love the little bits that have been washed ashore. Regarding the sun burn, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that we may have had more rain than you on the west coast. It has been a very, very wet spring -- in 8 days, only one day in which it did not rain. Is it weird to be jealous of your sunburn?
your work is so beautiful! i really love the new pieces, the scene feels like i am there! we have been having a beautiful spring here on the east coast and veda-pup and i been enjoying the sun!!! i thought i got a sunburn the other day on my walk, but luckily i just needed some water and chapstick, ha ha ha!
I love this! The way the textures pull my eye this way and that is so fun! Keep on stitching- your work is just so beautiful!
Your work is just beautiful!
Thank you for sharing.
Warm wishes, Tonya
really really beautiful. I'm a bit breathless, especially about the whale. I love the worn look and the stitching on his nose. Do whales have noses? Face? Well you know what I mean!
I just saw that beautiful wall hanging in your etsy shop. It truly gives me the feel of the seashore. Just lovely. I recently linked Abby Glassenberg to your work (she writes the blog While She Naps and writes books about soft sculpture making). She had made a whale and I told her that she just had to see your gorgeous creatures!
Completely beautiful work. Your fabric translations of the coast are just amazing. The barnacles on the humpback are my favorite touch--he is remarkably life-like and textural. I am saving my pennies to order one for my very own. :)
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