What Lies Beneath

2011

"…Under the sea
Darling it's better
Down where it's wetter
Take it from me…"

----Howard Ashman, Alan Menken.

25"W X 36.5"

The giant kelp forests of the coast of southern and central California provide an unusual aquatic environment for countless species of fish, mollusks, crustaceans and sea mammals.

This quilt provides an imaginary view of this other world beneath the waves and the ever undulating kelp forest canopy with the wild Channel Islands in the Santa Barbara Channel on the horizon.
The scene was constructed with my own hand painted cotton and silk fabric and free cut batiks and commercial fabrics applied with fused applique'. Couched yarns, hand dyed cheesecloth and hand beading provide the rest of the embellishment along with free motion quilting.