The Exemplary 2024
3rd Place, Professional Non-Original without Instruction

This painted canvas was designed and painted by Leigh Designs.

My husband found this canvas at a shop and purchased it for me to stitch for him. I selected my own threads and stitches. I wanted the center to be different from the surrounding components; its inspiration was a mesh bag containing onions. The dragons needed to stand out from the rest of the canvas, so I put it away while awaiting inspiration. An ANG Needle Pointers magazine showed an owl with a wing stitched with ribbon embroidery embellished with beads – perfect for the dragons. Done.