Judy Martin - Simply Amazing

When CQA/ACC member Judy Martin puts her mind to something, she follows through. Even if it takes 4 years and hundreds of volunteers, countless hours of dedication and the utmost of patience and perseverance.

Here is Judy's explanation of her wonderful creations of 4 quilts over 4 years:

This exhibition will highlight the amazing four year long Manitoulin Circle Project.  Every Thursday between October 2009 and August 2013, regular and drop-in stitchers met in the United Church hall in Little Current,  Manitoulin Island ON and worked  together all day at hand stitching.  In total, 144 participants.  

Four large meditation panels are the result.  The eventual location of these panels will be in the sanctuary of the Little Current United Church, Little Current, ON.

  

Earth Ark

Recycled linen damask, new silk and cotton, vintage handkerchiefs, hand and machine pieced by Judy Martin with community assistance, 2011, 90" x 90"

Earth Ark detail

I designed the panels, taught the techniques to the participants and enjoyed working with them to create these pieces.  Two of the panels are completely stitched together by hand.   The main fabric was donated recycled linen damask table cloths.  

Mended World

recycled linen damask, new silk and cotton, hand and machine pieced, hand quilted by Judy Martin with community assistance, 2012, 96" x 96"

Mended World detail

Precious Water
recycled linen damask, new silk, completely worked by hand.  Hand applique, hand piecing, hand quilted.
2013, 86" x 86"

Precious Water detail

Layers of Time

Re-purposed vintage wool blankets, vintage lace doilies, linen damask table linens, and new silk.  Completely worked by hand with hand embroidery, layering methods, and hand quilted.  2013, 92" x 92"

Layers of Time detail

The titles of the four panels refer to the nurturing of our environment and memory.  The vintage fabrics in all of the panels refer to domestic ritual.

The panels are intended to be hung in the sanctuary of the Little Current United Church in 2014.  They are united by the circle in square imagery and by the use of white, a celebratory liturgical colour.

Installed on the second floor of the gallery will be my monumental stitch journal that I kept during the same time as the Manitoulin Circle Project.  The art gallery has used this journal piece on the invitation.

As you can see Judy has once again stunned the quilting world with not only her dedication to this lengthy project, but to the beauty of the quilts she has created.   

The opening reception of the Mended World exhibition at the Art Gallery of Sudbury, ON January 18, 2014 at 2 pm. The exhibition will remain on view until March 2, 2014.

All photos done by Klaus Rossler.