Magpies Ascending

34 " high x 31" wide

This quilt began with a watercolor painting of a magpie in flight that I made years ago. The quilt began to take shape while I was living in Yakima. Magpies are common in central Washington. I delighted in watching their bold behavior and the iridescent gleam of their feathers.

In Europe, magpies are birds of folklore: "One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a wedding and four for a boy." As a teenager I listened to Donovan's song: "The magpie is a most illustrious bird..."

This quilt was eventually completed in 2007. It reminds me of the progression from darkness to dawn.