The Celadon is Finished!

I have shown this canvas a number of times in the past few years, I think, and also the bowl (Chinese Celadon, ca. 1820) from which I took the design. The bowl was a gift from my son a long time ago, and he asked me to design a needlepoint piece for him for his office. Since this time, he has gone into private practice and started his own law firm, and moved his office three times. Oh dear.

I hang my head in shame, as the date on the canvas is 1996. I decided about a month ago not to touch any other stitching until I finished this one - and I did enjoy doing it. It is entirely basketweave, with outlining, of course, as no textured stitches would do on a design like this.

It was never boring, as there were plenty of color changes to move on to when I got tired of one activity - could just go to something else. If I tired of outlining, I could then work on the background.

It was very very rewarding to realize I had finished one of my large, classic pieces (15" diameter on 18 mesh canvas), that will still be beautiful and "in style" many years from now. Nothing trendy here, just timeless elegance, as are the Oriental porcelains. It is actually, the ONLY one of my classic big pieces I ever finished. I've had hopes of doing "Nellie's Imari," but that won't happen.

When I was wholesaling nationally, I really got tired of looking at them, so never had any desire to stitch one. I remember when Marnie Ritter (Fessenden in the '70's) was teaching via EGA on one of my smaller Celadon pieces - beautiful job of enhancement before that was being done! - she graciously reserved me a canvas and kit when she was in San Antonio at the Yarn Barn. I loved sitting in on the class that week, but declined the stitching, as I told her I had painted and inspected so many of them (close to 300, as I remember,) that I couldn't bear to stitch one too. Now I regret that I didn't.

I used DMC floss on this canvas, as I started it before I had seen the silks now available, but the cotton did a beautiful job. Also, I had the advantage of the gorgeous Kreinik 002V braid for the "coins." Back in the 70's, when I was producing so many of the Imari, Celadon, etc., we had nothing but Persian wool and no metallics. YUK.

This photo was taken in haste, and with not so good light - but I wanted to send Joe the pic to assure him this is really really finished. It will need light blocking - and then off to a wonderful framer for a double mat and non-glare glass. I'm sure it will have a place of honor in his office!