This winter I accomplished a long-term goal to develop a stole representing our great Northwest environment.
©2012 Kristen Gilje “Northwest Stole” hand painted silk
The idea was to include day and night, winter and summer, mountains, plains and ocean in one piece!
My goal was to express the sacred beauty and presence of God I experience living in this varied landscape. Wearing this stole in our Green Season rites and rituals in our churches is a way of expressing gratitude to the Creator for such a wonderful home. My hope is to see this sacredness celebrated in our churches.
The seed for this stole design came from a painting I completed in 2006, celebrating life at Holden Village in the North Cascades. Can you see in the two vertical strips, one yellow and the other purple, one summer and one winter, the start of the design?
©2006 Kristen Gilje, “Breadmaking at Holden,” watercolor 22 x 30 inches.
I promised myself I’d some day make a stole out of this painting, and now here it is!
Kent French, pastor First Congregational Church of Bellingham UCC, modeling “Northwest Stole”
First Congregational Church of Bellingham UCC
2401 Cornwall Avenue, Bellingham, WA 360.734.3720
Truly an amazing work of art. I really am in awe of your gift. Would some day like to make the journey northwest to one of your workshops. Thank you for sharing your work.
Thanks so much Jacki. I’d love to have you in a workshop.