This piece is inspired by the paintings and travels of the most extraordinary woman, Maria Sybilla Merian, 1647 to 1717. At the age of 52, having separated from her husband, she commissioned a ship in Amsterdam and sailed with her daughter Johanna to Suriname on the East coast of South America. Here she set off into the jungle to paint and study and even rear the uncharted flora and fauna. She produced a beautiful book, Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium, in 1705. My design is in the form of a 17th-century map showing the River Suriname with exotic and exuberant insects in the style of Maria’s paintings, paying homage to her exceptional achievements.
Recycled cotton crewel work embroidered curtain fabric, recycled curtain bump interlining, dyed recycled cotton sheeting, hand dyed cotton fabric, cotton thread, viscose embroidery thread. Reverse appliqué – river, foliage and insects; fused raw edge appliqué flowers and insects and text, free machine stitching appliqué and text; faced edges.
