Captured at Bloom

2025
18” w x 24”h x 1 ½” (felt on canvas frame)
Status: For Sale at Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais, MN

The left panel in the ‘Captured’ diptych depicts the moment when the aurora awakens, unfurling in color until the night itself glows. It celebrates the beginning of brilliance and the living pulse of the Northern Lights from the early moments of their formation and expansion. It celebrates the initial moments when the water begins to reflect the sky, and highlights the sometimes-fleeting rhythm of nature.

I used unprimed cotton canvas as the felting backing. It’s more economical than manufactured wool felt, but it requires using a sealant on the edges to prevent fraying before framing. It also has a lot of “give”, meaning the final felted fabric can appear warped in places. The remedy is to find the areas with fewer wool fibers and build them up until the entire fabric has an even depth.

Almost every aspect of the piece was created using blended fiber colors. I’ve included process photos below that include the progression of color blends.

The photo inspiration for this piece was taken by my friend, Barbara Platnick, during an aurora event on July 7, 2024, over West Pope, a private lake along the Gunflint Trail.

The companion piece, Captured at Peak, can be viewed separately for more details, including process and color-blending photos.