The Exemplary 2024
Dolores Andrew Award

Peacock Afternoon is my latest piece of needle art using innovative techniques in silk ribbon embroidery, surface stitching, and canvaswork on hand-painted congress cloth. This is the culmination of my journey thus far into silk ribbon embroidery. The iridescent peacock with neon feathers has long been a favorite subject of mine.

Inspired first by the books of Merrilyn Heazlewood, I was amazed at the dimension and texture created by silk ribbon in embroidery. Judith Montano provided the first overdyed silk ribbons in dazzling colorways with interesting embellishment applications. Di Van Nierkerk’s fluid embroidery style in exciting silk ribbon landscapes and florals then added to my growing passion for all things silk ribbon! Recently, I’ve expanded my silk ribbon skills using ideas from Tatiana Papova, as seen here in the tree flowers surrounding the peacock.

Throughout my needlework development, my good friend and colleague, Lynn Payette, with her superb artistry and creative methods in surface embroidery, has continued to motivate me while encouraging my individual style. Her influence can be seen in this piece primarily in my use of sparkly threads, glittery beads, and reflective sequins.

The methods used in working the peacock’s head & neck feathering with straw silk and the body feathers in silk ribbon are my own stitching inventions as is the way I created the tailfeathers. Each tail feather is outlined with silk lame braid in an irregular crescent stitch filled with shimmer ribbon split stitches. The tailfeather eye is first outlined in sparkle braid in a heart crescent stitch, filled with neon shimmer ribbon with an added sequin and bead. The sequins progressively get larger as the tail fans out.

I admire all these needlewomen who have in some way contributed to my silk ribbon embroidery growth. I continue to be inspired…