- Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, 2008
crewel embroidery on linen
8″x17″
After discussing Well-behaved Women Seldom Make History with Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, I had the urge to create an embroidery about the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. I decided to borrow heavily (should I say mashup?) from the William Morris Woodpecker Tapestry and Cranach the Elder’s Adam and Eve.
I visited the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow in 2007 to study the colors in the Woodpecker Tapestry.
Please note: tapestry, a weaving technique, should not be confused with embroidery or needlepoint, also known as canvaswork. There are a lot of needlepoint kits that reproduce William Morris designs, but few people have the skill and patience to learn tapestry weaving. I’m a big fan of tapestry weaving but not a practitioner.
To help you sort out the different textile techniques, this link may come in handy.
Stabbed! 