On a windy fall night there was a loud crack and a whump that shook my house. A maple tree in my yard lost a branch as big as some trees. It sprawled across three yards. This tree had been a presence in our lives for 25 years. We sat under its cooling shade on hot summer days. We watched winter sunsets through its bare branches. It had survived other storms, but this was too big a wound. It had to come down.

As the tree came down bit by bit the space seemed so empty. Squirrels were confused. When the sawing stopped, I had a chance to look at what remained. There was extensive insect damage creating myriad patterns in the cross sections. Not all the pieces were round. Where branches attached to the trunk strange shapes were created. Looking around the yard I realized I had all the material I needed to both mourn and celebrate this tree. Leaves and seeds filled the air. A large piece of bark created textural possibilities. The cross sections had their own stories to tell.

I gathered materials to print. Interacting with the remains of the tree led to new ways to envision my printed pieces. Playing with my printed fabric took me further. These quilts depict the life cycle of my maple tree.  The energy of my interaction with this tree manifests in the materiality of these hangings.