Earth Ark, recycled linen damask table cloths and women's handkerchiefs, silk, cotton and ash leaf, hand embroidered, hand quilted, 88" square, 2011. 
The weight of this piece is heavier than a usual quilt, and so I stitched a canvas sleeve for hanging purposes across the top edge. 
We have invented a way to hang it so that there is no pulling on the front of the quilt. It will hang 5 inches out from the wall. 
Ned and I installed Earth Ark in the Little Current United Church yesterday. 
The hanging device involves four brackets and two wooden bars as well as the sleeve. Ned figured out the how of it. OK, it's his invention.
It went up easily. The only thing that was un-nerving is the height of the ladder. Because of the pews being attached to the floor, we couldn't open the ladder all the way, and it was hard to move around. 
I did climb up to sew the ash leaf on, but it was just too scary to try to stitch in that awkward position 12 feet up in the air. My man came through for me again.
Thanks Ned.
And thank you so much to all the volunteer participants who helped to create this work of art.
I will be making a photo presentation of the making of this panel on Sunday Oct 30 during the church service which will be repeated on November 10 during the regular circle project Thursday at 2 pm.
24 comments:
Your church is very blessed to such a beautiful work of art! I've been thinking about making new hangings for the chapel of my church, and your posts have been a source of inspiration.
What an accomplishment for all of you. Congrats Judy!
I think your church will be as renowned one day as Matisse's chapel. I would love to visit one day to see the completed installation.
looks amazing.
Magnificent- the size, the incorporated effort, the materials, how it looks. Just magnificent.
Looks beautiful there.. a wonderful thing to contemplate during church. I get frightened on a very
short ladder! You'd never know I used to rock climb and log roll, ski straight down a whole mountain, and all kinds of crazy stuff!
WOW!
not a fan of heights myself. big cheers for Ned!
this is just simply completely amazingly amazing.
big cheers for everyone involved
Stunning Judy....just amazing
Can't even find the words..spirtually stunning!Would love to hear the presentation. Care to record an audio to post here?
looks wonderful and scary on that ladder...
A true work of the community ! Congratulations, Judy (and aaaaaall the others !)
Oh my, it's beautiful! You and your team of volunteers have been working on this one a long time. Congratulations!
It looks great, but I would love to see it, minus the ladder! Congratulations to you and all who contributed. It is an amazing piece of work. And it sure must be nice to have a Ned around! He deserves a big thanks too :)
WHEN THERE IS A PLACE WHERE ONE IS TREASURED, ONE'S TREASURES POUR OUT OF EVERY PORE, that's what it looks like to me a treasure poured into a place for treasure. The simplicity and balance it exudes just fits so finely into place, it seems it might have always been there.
Congrats, Judy. Such a milestone achievement by you and your community
ned's name is added to the journal, right?? he helped add stitches after all.
judy, this is incredible. just. incredible.
Ned's name is one of the 108 who have laid hands on this piece. There are three other men as well - our son Jay added some stitches when he was home with his fiance last May.
Also two men who are members of the church have given a lot of support to the project. They move the quilt on its frame when necessary, keep the furnaces going and just generally support the group.
It's very rewarding to have got one of the four completed. Held within the layers of cloth there is hard work, dedication, self doubt, laughter, intimate conversation, support from non stitchers, blood, saliva, and that most valuable of all things, time.
Sharing the process in this blog has been very encouraging. The feedback that I have received here, has helped me, and also the other volunteers I believe, to keep going. So thank you.
The internet brings us closer.
This absolutely took my breath away, your work most always has this effect on me. Thanks for sharing :)
Beautiful. God bless!
earth ark is huge and beautiful. i wish i could be in the space. will all the pieces eventually be in that church?
The quilt itself is an amazing work of art, the work of each one of the 108 people involved is a WOW, Congratulations Judy and everyone!!
Wow! It looks amazing hung - what an achievement.
oh, it's glorious there between those beautiful windows. what treasures this church holds. hooray for the Neds in the world!
It looks wonderful hanging between the coloured glass. Congratulations on this community project. It must be so satisfying and validating to have your idea come to this! You had a great bunch of people working with you. It was wonderful following your progress from Toronto. Don't tell Ned that he'll have to take it down when you decide it should tour!
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