Stitching Rituals: Spells of Good Will - Diana

Embroidery does not need to be about the end result. Ritual stitching is a process of stitching regularly, perhaps daily in a practice of spell casting or contemplation. In this piece I created a spell for someone I knew who was suffering and was ready to leave this realm. In the work I focused my energy on providing for them a painless transition, the vibrancy of the colors reflected their personality.  The movement of sewing can be a spellcasting, its repetitive nature builds power into the work. 
I learned about more slow and mindful stitching through the work of Clare Wellesley Smith. "She specialises in projects that use local, natural colour, created from home-grown and locally foraged plants. Dyes and stitches on reclaimed cloth are used in slow processes that allow time for consideration of methods of production and narratives of use."
The forms were based on  a painting by my good friend Ursula Gullow. See more of her work here.