Silver Birch Forest series

(May 2023) Happily, “Enchanted Forest” sold via Pataka. Meantime, two of several smaller, postcard sized works have sold via Kapiti Gallery where they’re in the “Twists and Structures” exhibition.

L-R: Lavender, Pines and Birch forest (small), Forest Hill (sold) and Pastel Forest with grass (sold)

(February 2023) A couple of years since my last update! In the meantime I created another work, “Enchanted Forest” below, in similar colours to “Silver Birch with Lavender” which was sold in 2021; it’s currently (April 2023) in the Creative Fibre exhibition at Pataka Art+Gallery.

In February I began stitching two new works, to enter into Creative Fibre’s “Festival of Fibres” challenge. This year the theme is “Squares, squares, squares” so I was careful to stitch in square blocks of colour. My 3rd entry will be a lined tote bag, “City Squares” in vibrant colours.

(March 2021) I’m currently working on the eighth fibre artwork in this series. I’ve always loved silver birch trees, and they make a great subject, as the many artworks on social media show.

(September 2021) Update: #9 is finished, and #10 is on the way…

Silver Birch with Lavender – Bronwyn Angela White (2021)

My first stitching works featuring silver birch trees preceded this series by a couple of years: works created for gallery exhibitions. “Winter Wonderland” cushion (2016) and “Summer Stream (Four Seasons, 2019)” were displayed in Kapiti Gallery, and “Seasons in a Forest” (Creative Fibre Wellington Area’s 2019 exhibition) in Pataka Gallery respectively.

In looking for inspiration and enjoying other artists’ work, an image of silver beeches on Pinterest intrigued me, so much that I saved it to several boards (see footnote). It turns out to be a mosaic, but it sparked the idea of an autumnal forest scene, to enter into the “Warmth” themed exhibition in from out of the blue gallery later this year.

So began my forest stitching, and what fun I’m having! “Summer into Autumn” (i) and (ii) were soon followed by “Young birch forest” (i) and (ii).

Next came smaller works, “Vivid Forest” (i) and (ii), and the much larger “Leafy Forest” (not framed yet).

After working my own designs but using traditional cross-stitch and tent stitch, I’ve started experimenting with long stitch as well as couching and other techniques. I’m so thrilled with the results, I’ll show you some close-ups of the stitching, as well as other examples of my recent long-stitched work.