Cynthia St. Charles Store

Thursday, November 1, 2007

2007 Journal Quilt - Medicine Wheel

Each year, I try to make a pilgrimage to an ancient spiritual site called Medicine Wheel. Located at nearly 10,000 feet in the Bighorn Mountains, it is an 800 year old construction made of flat rocks that have been stacked in the shape of an enormous wheel with 28 spokes, 80 feet in diameter. Nobody knows who built it or why, but there is speculation that the 28 spokes are linked to the phases of the moon and the number of days in the human reproductive cycle. There is a raised central cairn with several others on the periphery which appear to align with astronomical constellations.
Whatever the actual history or ancient purpose, this place has personal significance to me, as I always feel a deep spiritual stirring each time I visit. I’ve had visions and felt a connection with divine spirits while visiting Medicine Wheel. It is a very powerful place.

Since 2003, the Journal Quilt Project has provided valuable influence on my development as an art quilter. This year, for the culmination of the Journal Quilt Project, I wanted to create a single quilt relating to something personally significant. This spring, I came away from a Medicine Wheel visit committed to creating an image expressing my feelings about this sacred place. Discharged and hand dyed cottons were reverse appliquéd to create the swirling sky background. Painted Tyvek® and stone chips represent the Medicine Wheel in the foreground. Hand dyed couched threads, beads, a dyed silk hankie, and hand made polymer clay faces have been attached to embellish the surface, conveying my personal interpretation of the sacred spiritual connection between heaven and earth at the ancient Medicine Wheel site.

11 comments:

Nikki said...

I love the swirling energy and all the detail. It is amazing when I click on the photo for an enlarged view. Beautiful!

Corky said...

Fantastic!! Wish I could see it in person.

Anonymous said...

Great journal quilt - I love the swirls and the vibrant imagery.

Lynn Majidimehr said...

I could spend hours just staring at it on my computer, and wish I could be in Houston to see it in person. It's beautiful!

Sandra Wyman said...

Love the colours movement and theme of this!

Joyce said...

Fantastic quilt. We have visited several medicine wheels across the country (there are some in Saskatchewan) and stone formations in France and England. THey certainly have a power of their own. I am putting this one on our list of places to go.

Anonymous said...

Absoloutely stunning! Incredible energy... I'm in awe!

Judy

mzjohansen said...

What a blessing to have found a place with which you connect so totally and spiritually ! Sounds like a source you need to keep tapping into!

Carole said...

Beautiful Cynthia! I have never seen anything like a medicine wheel before... now I have.
I really appreciate the detal.
One can learn a lot from a piece like this.
Carorle

Unknown said...

Just saw your pieces in person at the Houston Quilt Festival. They are fabulous, even better than the pictures.

Unknown said...

Cynthia, your lovely, deep, joyful
work pertaining to your visit to
Big Wheel last spring has motivated
this confirmed lurker to delurk long enough to express my appreciation for you sharing your
work. It is really wonderful.
Thanks, joyce in the hinterlands