I see the sun as a metaphor for the individual creative soul. As such, it appears again and again as I depict different facets.

"One need only act, without fear of punishment and without hope of reward;
act from the center of one’s soul." ---Ursula K. LeGuin

 

Metropolitan Sunrise
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 9 3/4” X 17 1/2”
2004
Private collection This quilt began as an exercise in using black fabric and was completely unplanned beforehand. The piece lay dormant for months as I was dissatisfied with the resulting jagged city-scape. I finally realized that the yang of the black sharp-edged shapes needed to be balanced by the yin of a round warm shape. Thus I included a hopeful, rising sun amid the oppressive blocks with some accompanying curvy sunrays. I am happy about the balance in this piece now.


Fractured Gloaming
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11.25” x 10”
December, 2004
Private collection of Sally Byrd

This small quilt is a cubist exercise in depicting the light, shapes and colors present in a lingering glowing sunset (gloaming). It features decorative machine quilting with lurex, Angelina fibers and beading.



Mountain Lake Sunset
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 Main panel: 23” x 40”, Side panel: 23” x 9”
November, 2004

The incredible quality of light present at sunset in the Rocky Mountains was the inspiration for this piece.  It is an especially magical time in the high mountains with stark shadows and bold contrasts.



Seven Suns
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15.5” x  108”
November, 2005

Award: This piece won the second place in the adults category for January, 2006,
in the SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) SunWorks Competition.

This quilt represents the constantly changing nature of the celestial body we call the sun. 
Implicit within the solar orb is the shifting moon image which rotates irrespective of the sun’s actions.
This piece is constructed of seven units, each composed of 16 individual blocks with a unique appliqué on each.


Mixtec Sun
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38 x 38”
March, 2005
Private collection 

The image of the life-giving sun is interpreted from a tribal or indigenous viewpoint. All of the colored fabric is felt of different sorts. Many of the felt sections were hand embroidered prior to their appliqué in order to evoke the feeling of handwork done by the Mixtec people of central Mexico . The soulful music of Lila Downs was the inspiration for this piece.


Black Sun of Medea
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42.5 x 46.5”
Spring, 2005

Award: this piece won the second place in the adults category for February, 2006 in the SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) SunWorks Competition.

The image of the Black Sun represents the darker side of sun imagery; powerful, creative but also ominously dangerous.  The core of this sun cannot not be seen directly but its presence and activity can be dimly perceived and is evidenced by the black on black quilting patterns. I represented this with a swirling pattern of machine quilting. The rays emanate in different colors according to their own peculiar nature and application. 

On another level, the image of the black sun (and the rays in particular) depict the life force of the powerful sorceress, Medea, a granddaughter of Helios, the sun god.  Greek mythology portrays her as ruthless, dangerous and by extension evil.  I contend that while she was indeed powerful and likely dangerous to her foes, the “evil” does not necessarily follow; this negative connotation is probably an early misogynistic spin to discredit an awe-inspiring woman.



Celestial Vedas
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6.5” x 44”
2003

In this piece, I have used the sun as a metaphor whose size, quality of light and position in the sky to represent the stages of development and energy in the life-force that we all share.  Thus, in this depiction, the stages of the sun’s journey during the course of a single day reflect the changing aspects that occur during the course of one’s earthly life.  The quality of light is subdued and hopeful in the first panel; reaches a clear brilliance at the zenith in the center and then progresses to a lower but richer intensity in the last, setting sun panel.  I intentionally chose to accomplish this metaphor in seven panels because of the sacred fullness associated with this number in numerous world religions. This piece is heavily beaded.

 

PLEASE CONTACT ELIZABETH BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARTWORK AND AVAILABILITY.