Give a Gift
I enjoy visiting the Southwest. One of my favorite destinations is Tucson, Arizona, where I love to hike surrounded by beautiful landscapes.
The primary material used in Sabino Canyon is wool selected from my stash of recycled materials. However, I also incorporated various wool yarns and pieces of silk. The wool yarns and silk provided interesting textures that helped me capture the appearance of some of the plants present at this site.
From the Judges:
The sky’s gradient from deep purples and pinks to golden yellows creates a dramatic and realistic atmosphere. Detailed variations create texture and realism in the vegetation and desert floor. Breathtaking realism that evokes the beauty and resilience of this environment.
Sabino Canyon, 35″ x 25″, #8-cut wool, wool yarn, and hand-cut silk and recycled wool sweaters on linen.
Designed and hooked by Carolyn Godfread, Bismarck, North Dakota, 2023.
I enjoyed trying to capture the essence of the plants that appear in the foreground. I’m a botanist by profession, so I’m fascinated by the incredible forms and diversity of plants that thrive in the Sonoran Desert. Featuring some of those species in my rug helps me remember my visit to that wonderful place.
Choosing colors for the mountains was somewhat of a challenge. First, I bought some pre-dyed fabric that I thought would be just right. It wasn’t. I had to take it out and look through my stash to find colors that allowed me to delineate the slopes. Another challenge was the sky. The morning, I hiked Bear Canyon Trail, the sky was overcast. I decided it would be more interesting to portray a sunrise. The choice seemed appropriate since the view incorporated in my design was facing the direction of a sunrise. I finished the edge of the rug by wrapping over a cord with Norwegian rug yarn.
Carolyn Godfread
BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA
Carolyn grew up on a ranch in western North Dakota where she developed a lifetime love of the western landscape and plants. That interest led her to study biology in college and botany in graduate school. She taught biology in high schools and botany at the university level. Her recent employment was as a botanical consultant. She is retired now but still loves exploring natural areas. She is married with two sons, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.