Mud Flat

Growing up in Trinidad, summer vacations meant endless hours of almost uninterrupted reading, the Mayaro beach house and visits to places of interest, e.g. the Pitch Lake and/or the Caroni Swamp; because you knew when you returned to school, you would have to write that dreaded essay, How I Spent My Summer Vacation.  One of my favorite places to visit was and still is, the Caroni Swamp.  Sure it’s buggy, muggy, dense but so fascinating and teaming with life.  The Caroni Swamp is the meeting of the Caroni River and the Gulf of Paria and home to Trinidad's national bird, the Scarlet Ibis.  This area is a maze of saline mangrove channels which often form small lakes, islands and mud flats, the evening feeding grounds for the Scarlet Ibis.

This piece which measures 10.75"x8.75" is named Mud Flat

 

I decided not to bind this quilt but to face it, as I wanted the design to flow all the way to the edge.   It’s dense, organic, flowing.  The colors are reminiscent of the mangrove, the crabs and other life forms that dwell in this wetland.  Silk rovings, burlap, hand dyed cheesecloth, yarn, rayon and metallic threads, sea shells and beads are all on this needle felted wall hanging.  There is a sleeve on the back where a dowel can be inserted and it is ready to be hung.

Enjoy.