Bighorn Sheep – The Eyes Have It Series 30”W x 40”H – Fiber Art 2016

Description

When I think of living under the western sun, my mind goes to the Bighorn Sheep, a natural symbol of the Rocky Mountains.  The males, called rams, are famous for their large, curled horns, sometimes weighing 30 pounds or more. During the mating season, you can hear the resounding clash of Bighorns throughout the mountains as rams fight to compete for mating rights to the ewes.

I wanted to capture the beauty and majesty of these mountain goats.  Although the Bighorn Sheep population has numbered in the millions at their peak in North America, their history also includes reaching near extinction.  Though they are still on the endangered list, conservation efforts are helping them make a significant recovery.

I want to focus on the allure and power of different animals and their eyes, be they mammal, bird, reptile or insect, and try to capture it in my fiber art.  To me animal eyes are a large part of their distinctiveness and character, and I love the challenge of recreating that in my art.

I wanted to capture the beauty and majesty of the Bighorn Sheep, a natural symbol of the Rocky Mountains.

The Eyes Have It Series statement: 

Most animals use their sight to survive, either to find food or to avoid becoming food.  Not all animals see the world in the same way and eyes are unique to each species. Animals are constantly alert to the environment around them; their survival depends on that.

Martin Buber said, “An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.”  For this series, I want to focus on the allure and power of different animals and their eyes, be they mammal, bird, reptile or insect, and try to capture it in my fiber art.  To me animal eyes are a large part of their distinctiveness and character, and I love the challenge of recreating that in my art.

Technique: Raw-edge applique technique using commercial cotton hand-colored with pigment and inks with thread sketching.

Construction: Cotton fabric; polyester batting; pigments; cotton, polyester and monofilament threads. Mounted on a painted wood panel.