"Homage to Van Eyck" wins Julia Caprara Award

For the second year running Leamington member, Sue Cooke, has won the Julia Caprara Award for Use of Colour in the Guild Members' Challenge 'All that Glistens'.

Homage to Van Eyck, Sue Cooke

You may have seen "Homage to Van Eyck" if you went to the Fashion, Embroidery, Stitch Show at the NEC recently, where it was on display on the Guild stand.

Sue says, "I used the pomegranate motif because this is popular in Renaissance painting.  I'm also fascinated by the way these artists reproduced gold just using layers of paint, so this seemed to tie in with the competition title.

"The background paper was stitched in white before painting and then some transfoil added. The applied motif was machine stitched onto vanishing muslin, burnt to achieve the distressed look of Renaissance fabric before wrapped cords were added."

Congratulations (again), Sue!

Julia Caprara Award to Leamington member

We are delighted to share the news that Leamington & District member, Sue Cooke, won the Julia Caprara Award for the Use of Colour for her entry in the 'Tree Rhythms' 2014 Annual Members' Challenge.  This is the stunning embroidery that won her the award:

Tree Rhythms, Sue Cooke

Sue explains her inspiration for the piece:

"I attended a dayschool last year when we had to take photographs and weave them together as a starting point for a design. I followed this technique and used two photographs I took when visiting my son in New Zealand. One was of a tree fern, which is very structured in shape, and the other of a pohutokawa tree, which is very soft and fluffy when it is in flower. The flowers are red and it blooms in December, hence its name of ‘The Christmas Tree’.   

The pohutokawa tree ended up being the background, with the tree fern in the centre.  The techniques I used were felting, appliqué, machine and hand stitching."  

Congratulations, Sue!