Eli, Cross Country 2013

Made for the 2014 Dinner@8 Juried Invitational Exhibit, Reflections.  

For once, I decided not to interpret a theme literally.  Instead, I thought about how I love to see the reflection of my father's shoulders and hands, of my husband's athleticism, in our son Eli. 

When I stop to think about how quickly time has evaporated--I wonder where the past 25 years have gone in a whoosh--I am nearly paralyzed.  Like me, Eli prefers to DO, not ponder.  He is literally running headlong into his future. 

In addition to being a top-tier wrestler, Eli is a top ten percent runner, expecially in Cross Country.  He mused a few years ago, gee, I may be a two-sport athlete.  Since the pieces for the exhibit needed to be 24 inches wide by 60 inches long, the format wasn't really amenable to a good wrestling portrait, but it was perfect for a runner.  This scene is a composite of a couple photos.  Eli's image is taken from a meet at Belfast (Maine), one of his favorite courses.  But I wanted the scene to be a "home" meet, in the woods behind Camden Hills Regional High School.  This path is one where spectators gather as the kids run past several times, first into the woods, then we turn to the right and watch as they loop back around. 

I dyed the reds for his uniform, the skin tones, and some of the foliage fabrics.  The rest are commercial batiks.  Intensely machine quilted on my Janome 8900.

Completed:  April 2014

Size:  24" wide by 60" long.

In the collection of the artist.