Reflection on a Healing Heart

by Mary Kay Fosnacht

24" x 24" - 61 cm x 61 cm

Monochromatic Challenge - Red Violet

The completion of this piece coincided with my husband’s unplanned and unwelcome cardiac bypass surgery. This piece, surprisingly to me, resonated with his experience and mood during this time.

The monochromatic red-violet color scheme reflects a somber mood, which he felt as he was confined to a small room, dealing with pain, and the long days which ran into nights with no distinction. Yet, as with the flowers, there was also a beauty present. Each day brought a new sense of gratefulness and thanksgiving – for the care team, support of friends and family, and continued healing.

Technique: Turned-edge appliqué using freezer paper templates.

Experimenting with layout and color:

Added silk "trellis"

Final Piece features over-dyed leaves with red-violet, changed the centers for dark red-violet, and quilted with green and variegated red-violet thread.