Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Four Elements: Air, Fire, Earth and Water

 I chose the landscape to help interpret the four elements.

High above the tree tops the birds glide through the air.
Through man-made error or Mother Nature, fire destroys habitats and what was once a wonderful forest.

Then one day, in what was once a desolate landscape, we see that the earth hides new life.

Many years later comes a day when the trees are again plentiful and where the landscape beside the water is peaceful.
I had had an idea in mind for a long time this challenge. With the forest fires in British Columbia this year coming close to my daughter's home, I was again remembering a CBC short film about a devastating forest fire in northern Ontario where a few people survived by staying in the water (either a lake or river) until the fires burned out.
The following is taken from the Natural Resources web site:
"July 30th [1916] was a frightening day, almost a repeat of the events that had happened only five years previously. This time, the fire consumed nearly 800 square miles of forest, and the toll reached an unheard of 282 official deaths."

Originally, I was going to make just one quilt but I changed my mind and chose to depict the four elements in four separate small pieces. I let my fabrics do the work along with some stenciling and drawing on the fabric.

9 comments:

  1. This is great - I appreciated your comments on the piece and
    I like the idea of the rebirth of the earth after a fire. Well done. Shirley

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  2. I really like your thought process on this piece.
    It is like Shirley said, "a rebirth". Your idea was great!

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  3. Wonderful! I especially like the progression story.

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  4. I like the progression of your four themes. Having bush fires in this area 2 years ago I have watched the rebirth of the countryside with interest.

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  5. I really love your work and the story that comes with it. I especially love the birds in the AIR and also the NEW SHOOTS after the fire.

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  6. Wow, I feel like I'm standing right underneath that bird....wonderful piece and story.

    Sharon M

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  7. Wonderful story to unite the elements.

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  8. Deloris
    What a lovely story and you piece talks to you as you read the story.
    Delia

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