Hole at the hearth 1: sea level rising

Small hanging quilt bases on a variation of traditional patchwork block 'log cabin', where strips of light and dark fabric are built up around a central red square representing the hearth. This traditional variation is called 'Courthouse Steps' and is inspired by the view to the sea from my home in Kilmore Quay Co Wexford, where sea, sky and road meet in shades of grey at the horizon with the village merging in vertical lines from right and left. The piece addresses the precarious situation of coastal communities - the hearth is missing and the resultant hole surrounded by surging seas. Made with scrap fabrics - raw silk and upholstery fabrics - machine and hand quilted, with free motion machine embroidered plastic netting. The piece is mostly monochrome and relies on texture, pattern and flashes of colour for visual interest.