FOR YEARS AS WE WOULD TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH ON INTERSTATE 10 BETWEEN TUCSON AND OUR HOME IN CENTRAL TEXAS, WE WOULD NOTICE AN EXIT SIGN RIGHT AROUND THE ARIZONA / NEW MEXICO STATE LINE THAT HAD THE WORD "PORTAL" WRITTEN ON IT. I WAS FIRST DRAWN IN BY THE NAME, BUT ONCE I LOOKED IT UP I WAS DRAWN IN BY PHOTOS OF DESERT PLANTS HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS, WATERFALLS, BIRDS, NEON GREEN LICHEN COVERING RHYOLITE HOODOOS, AND COATIMUNDIS. IF YOU HAVEN'T YET HEARD OF A COATIMUNDI, I SUGGEST YOU LOOK THEM UP. THEY'RE ADORABLE.
IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR WE TOOK A TWO WEEK TRIP AS A KIND OF CELEBRATORY GIFT FOR ME TAKING A LEAP INTO WORKING INDEPENDENTLY. THIS SERIES IS LARGELY INSPIRED BY THAT TRIP.
WE STARTED IN THE CHIRICAHUAS AND I LIKE TO THINK THAT IN DOING SO IT SET THE TONE FOR THIS NEXT CHAPTER. WE LOVED OUR TIME THERE SO MUCH THAT WE WENT BACK AGAIN IN AUGUST WHILE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF STITCHING THIS BANNER SERIES. IT WAS BITTERSWEET TO SEE THAT ALL OF MY FAVORITE SPRING FLOWERS HAD ALREADY DISAPPEARED FOR THE MOST PART, MAKING WAY FOR THEIR HARDIER COUSINS THAT CAN MAKE IT THROUGH A SUMMER DOWN ON THE DESERT FLOOR.
THIS EMBROIDERY IS INSPIRED BY THE DRIVE ALONG CAVE CREEK ROAD, THE ROAD YOU TAKE AS YOU ENTER THE CHIRICAHUAS THROUGH PORTAL - THE COMMUNITY THAT SITS RIGHT AT THE MOUTH OF CAVE CREEK CANYON. TOWERING CLIFFS AND LARGE BOULDERS PEEK OUT OF ALLIGATOR JUNIPER AND OAK COVERED HILLS COMING UP FROM THE CREEK BELOW. THIS IS SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE. EMBROIDERED BELOW THE MOUNTAINS IS LICHEN COVERED ROCK, A NOTABLE TRAIT OF THE CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS. TO THE SIDES ARE A TYPE OF DESERT PENSTEMON (I BELIEVE ITS A PARRY'S PENSTEMON) THAT I FELL IN LOVE WITH OUT THERE THAT TAKES OVER THE SURROUNDING DESERT ROADSIDES IN SPRING.
THIS WALL HANGING IS SPECIAL TO ME BECAUSE IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE THE ENTRANCE POINT TO THE WHOLE JOURNEY THAT THIS FIRST BANNER SERIES REPRESENTS - A LEAP, A CELEBRATION, AND A STEP INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN.
CHAINSTITCH EMBROIDERY ON LINEN AND INDIGO DYED TEXTURED COTTON. 22.25" LONG (INCLUDING HANG TABS) BY 19.75" WIDE. BACKED WITH COTTON CANVAS AND INCLUDES A HANDWRITTEN LABEL WITH CHAINSTITCHED DETAIL.
ONE OF ONE.
HANGING HARDWARE NOT INCLUDED. SHOWN HERE DISPLAYED ON A 1.25" DOWEL ROD HUNG BETWEEN TWO WALL HOOKS.
*FREE SHIPPING ANYWHERE IN THE US*
