- Jane Burch Cochran
- A Fragile Balance Quilt, 1991
- silk, cotton, velvet, polyester, satin, rayon, twill, lame, canvas, flannel
- 54.5 x 43 in (138.43 x 109.22 cm)
- Inv: 2007.352
The central motif has a leather glove holding the globe at its fingertips. The glove has been appliqued by sewing bugle beads around all edges. The glove is heavily embellished with trims, silk leaves and beads. The background has a patchwork area of various sizes of rectangles ranging in size from ¼" to 1 ¾". The background also includes another larger rectangle that has many neutral colored vintage buttons sewn along the edge. An inner border of turquoise is again heavily embellished with vintage buttons of all sizes and colors. Silk roses have been bead appliquéd as well. The piece is surrounded by another patchwork rectangle border, 12" at top and bottom and 8" on the sides. It has been overlaid on top of a large canvas foundation, fused in place with raw edge appliqué. The inner edges covered by buttons and outer edges with beads sewn over the curving raw edge. It curves from 2" wide all the way to 4" wide. There are two more black cotton gloves appliquéd with beads and embellished with more buttons on the patchwork border along with several egg shaped appliqués. The outermost border is the
foundation canvas that has been painted with dots, and approximately an inch of heavier blue paint at the edge. The edge has been turned to the back ¾" and hand secured. The painted edge on top has 114 vintage, neutral colored buttons on each long side, and 82 on top and bottom. They are sewn through the canvas to back. The inner part of the piece has over 100 vintage buttons as well. The initials JBC '91 are beaded in the right bottom corner.
The label on the back reads as follows: GREEN QUILTS
“The hands juggling eggs (including the Golden Egg) represent humans disregard for nature's balance and taking too many chances. The beaded glove holding the globe refers to the Native American's ability to live more closely with nature's balance"
Techniques: machine pieced, hand embroidered, hand painted and beaded, hand appliqued, fusible
Culture:
Geographic Location:
Credit Line: Gift of Yvonne Porcella
- Subject Matter: Art Quilt