The Zodiac

90" w x 90" h (2006)

 In 2005 I needed to take a break and devote time to something with more personal relevance and an artistic challenge. The exercise of making works to cater to potential buyers was taking a toll. I found an embroidery I had created in my teenage years, a design of the wheel of the Zodiac, with simple imagery for each sign.  Could I be happy with the images I would draw for the composition? The challenge to create a cohesive design and to take as long as I wanted with each section was appealing. Keeping track of labour hours to obtain a price was no longer relevant. It became all about the imagery, and the size of the overall creation was dictated by the smallest pattern piece. I hoped the variety of 17 different designs within the piece would keep me interested for the duration.   

It took over 6 months and over 500 hours, and I loved every minute of it. The hardest part was waiting so long to see how it was going to look when it was all connected! 

I started with the central moon and planets, and was so happy with that, I knew I'd have to try to be as satisfied with each section around it.  One challenge was to create images that would fit within the sections in the proper orientation. The final challenge was to fit the sections together in a circular format. 

Aries starts at the 9:00 (rising sign) position, and the signs progress counterclockwise around the chart. The 4 elements are depicted in the corners.

Predominately machine appliqué, some machine piecing, hand painting for details and shading, hand embroidery, machine couched decorative yarns, hand-beaded, layered prairie points around the central motif, free-motion machine quilted. Over 3,000 pieces of appliquéd fabric. The back of the piece features scattered fused stars, along with the original embroidery that was my inspiration.

Appraised Value: $20,000.00 before it won any International awards

Awarded Best of Show at the 2006 Canadian Quilters Association National Juried show, Ottawa, ON. It also received the Viewer's Choice Award.                         http://www.canadianquilter.com

Juried into the International Quilters Association Juried Show, Houston Texas. Oct 30- Nov. 6th, 2006.

World Quilt Competition 2007, awarded First Place Best of Country, and  Viewer's Choice Award at the Chicago Exhibition.  

The Road To California, International competition, 2008, awarded 1st Place, Art/Portrait. http://www.road2ca.com 

Juried into American Quilters Society International show, Paducah, KY. April 2008.  Awarded 2nd place, Art - Pictorial. http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/ 

In Ontario, on display at the Durham Trillium Quilt Guild show 2007, the Kingston Quilt Guild Show, May 22nd - 25th, 2008 and on display at the Oshawa Fibre Art Show on even numbered years (2006, 2008, 2010, etc.)

The Zodiac is one of 5 of her pieces juried into the 2009 IQA exhibit "Oh Canada!" touring the US thru Nov. 2009. See this quilt on the Vid-Cast from the Chicago Exposition by clicking here!

Featured on the cover of "The Canadian Quilter" magazine, (Fall Issue 2006) and in a 2-page article by the artist on the Creative Journey. Also pictured in an article about the CQA National Juried Show.

Featured Artwork on the Poster for the Oshawa Fibre Art Show, 2006.

Featured on the postcards and posters advertising "Fibre Art Studios" Premier Show at the Distillery Historic District, Toronto, Aug. 2006.

Featured in "Zodiac" magazine, 3rd Quarter issue, 2007, Stavangar, Norway. http://www.sophiasenteret.no

Featured Quilt for January, American Quilters Society 2009 Wall Calendar.

Quilters Newsletter Magazine, Feb. - March 2009 as the "Photo Finish" piece.