Mid Summer on Crystal Lake
acrylic and chainstitch embroidery on canvas
16x20

Centering the flora’s experience, here we see sunset on Crystal Lake from the point of view of Queen Anne’s Lace, Goldenrod, Yarrow, and Aster. Are they sorry to see the sun go for the night? Are they in awe of the beauty? I am also curious about their relationship to each other, as some of these flowers are native, some nonnative. Is there crowding, exclusion, entitlement, cooperation, enthusiasm among them? This painting is meant to be a sister painting to Late Fall on Crystal Lake.

This is one of the first in what I hope is a long series of mixed media pieces including both painting and chainstitch embroidery. For this one I started with a general blocking of spaces, then painted the sky and water. I then stitched the distant hills before moving on to the flora in the foreground. Instead of blocking everything out beforehand I have been enjoying moving plant by plant, placing a stem where there is room for a stem, as I imagine it happens in the fields.

Crystal Lake is located in Beulah, MI.

I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you so much. :)
Dana