Life Journeys : Fields of Gold
I moved into the city from the suburbs a couple of years ago and paradoxically, suddenly discovered the sky in all its changing moods. Like most people in Bristol, I now live on a hill and have a great view. I can see the weather coming in from the valleys of the southwest, driving up the harbour and spreading out over the city, then moving on over the scarp of the Cotswolds. I get caught out in showers here because I have been watching the sun reappear on the hills miles away towards Bath.
And at night, in spite of the city lights, I watch the progress of the moon through its cycles. Huge, orange and pendulant in the autumn; stifled by leaden clouds in weeks of rain; or crackling with frosty winter brilliance.
I hadn’t realised that each month’s moon has a name – from Wolf Moon in January to Cold Moon in December (makes sense!). This series of work is inspired by the changing moon – each month and across the year.
Fields of Gold: Harvest Moon
September’s full moon: rises before the sun sets, so extends harvesting time well into the evening.
Fields of Gold: Hunter’s Moon
October’s full moon: as in September, rises before the sun sets; but occurs at the time of year birds are migrating, so hunters see their prey silhouetted against the early evening moon.
Fields of Gold: Blue Moon
Very rare: any calendar month in which two full moons occur (the moon’s cycle is 29 ½ days). The last blue moon was December 2009.
Fields of Gold: New Moon
The phase of the moon’s monthly cycle in which the dark side of the moon faces the earth so is not visible to the naked eye.
Materials
Silk fabric on calico, machine-stitched and coloured with wax and acrylic paints. Hand-applied goldwork on silk and velvet: jap gilt thread, gilt purl findings and beads.
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