I like herons, but...

I'm not sure I like them on my boat!

Anyone who knows me, knows that herons are one of my things.  Graceful yet slightly awkward.  This is one of my favourite quotes about them:

"The queen was settling on the edge of the bed, ungainly with hesitation and at the same time exquisite in her grace, like a heron landing in a treetop" - Megan Whalen Turner

So it was neat to see a white-faced heron taking his ease on the back bulwark of my boat when I came home the other day.  He let me get pretty close too.  Then I started to think about where the remains of his last meal was sure to end up and I regretfully scared him away.  There are plenty of wharf posts he can rest on.

Here are some of the quilts I've made with herons as my muse.

'With Little Sound'   30cm x 46cm   SOLD

'Memories of Flight'   62.5cm x 120.5cm    $850

*Edited: This quilt is now SOLD.  Thank you for your interest.

'Morning Waters at Opua'    52cm x 89cm    SOLD

'One Grey Heron'    30cm x 46cm    $125

I don't think my quilting love affair with herons is over yet.

Egretta novaehollandiae (white faced heron)

At night time, there is a white faced heron (or maybe more than one) who hangs out on the teeny beach that is squeezed between the Opua General Store and the wharf.  He or she (they aren't easy to tell apart) fishes in the light cast from the street lamps that line the wharf.

I spot him sitting on the poles that were historically used to careen boats, or stalking silently and measured through the shallows, or hear him croak as he flaps slowly off when we have surprised him as we walk the dog.

And so, herons are influencing my work more than a little lately.  They are making their graceful, watchful way onto my design wall.

This smaller work is 12" x 24" and is titled 'With Little Noise'.  It's named so because the time of night I usually see my fishing friend is that quiet time when the car ferry has stopped, the streets are dark and everybody else is in the warm and light inside.

I've tried to convey that dark, restful aesthetic with this piece.  The simplicity of it reminds me a little of Japanese work.

The grey ombre fabric, the stems and the binding are my hand-dyed fabric, the rest are commercial batiks and a commercial solid.

And as always, I'd love to hear your feedback and what the quilt makes you think and feel.