Marrakesh

Completed: 2013

Mixed media
Canvas size: 7.5″ x 11″
Custom frame, double matted: 16.5″ x 20″
No glass

I always thought that in another life I might have been a Moroccan rug weaver. The images of Moroccan tiles and architecture have captured my attention ever since I can remember. And the thought of weaving a rug and dying the wool made my fingers yearn to do that “again”.

So I conceived of two companion pieces that satisfied that need to create that feeling of a Moroccan rug. Every thread in these two pieces were painted or dyed, then the threads were then de-stranded and recombined to create the tweedy textures and unusual color combinations. I experimented with pulling out the weft of the canvas and leaving them “bare” to introduce new textures and create interest. Then I lightly stitched the tops of some of the stitches with another hair-thin color to create a delicacy in the design.

The gilded borders echo the gold and brass metal finishes found in the Moroccan lamps and home decor.

This piece and its companion “Casablanca” are not identical in size or finishing but are framed identically so that they work very well with each other when hung together.