So...that would put the first one about 1986 -- nineteen years ago! I'll take you through the pieces in reverse order, looking at the newest one first.

2004

This hanging has quite a story behind it!

Acouple of years ago, I was contacted by a woman named Joanne Hammil, who lives near Boston. She is a musician, and writes rounds (think of Row Row Row Your Boat, only much more complicated and interesting.) She was in the process of producing 2 CDs of her rounds, catches, and partner songs, and was looking for cover art possibilities when she came accross my site. Now it just so happens that I love to sing, and am especially fond of rounds...so it seemed a good fit to use my work on the covers of her CDs. When Joanne looked at all of my work, she was most drawn to the spiral quilts and hangings, and so used Dance Doctor (seen further down on this page) and Stefanie's quilt (Pelagia Colorata by name) for the artwork. Several months later, we finally met, and in fact I got to sing some of her rounds in a concert in San Francisco.

But wait; there's even more to this story! In the summer of 2004 I was married, and asked Joanne to write a round for the occaision. Julian (my now-husband) and I wrote the words, and Joanne made a wonderful round called Marriage at Fifty which she, I, and another friend sung at the wedding.

This hanging is my thank-you to her for her song, It now hangs in her home, and is the inspiration for yet another round that Joanne has written! Check out Joanne's music at www.joannehammil.com .

1996

Starting with the spiral in the center, the first spikes appeared of their own volition, and the work suddenly got much more playful! The name Mercury reflects the impish and spontaneous nature of this work. In addition to being the messenger of the gods and the conductor of souls to the afterlife, Mercury was a merry youth, inspiring riotous festivals.