First Place, Non-Professional Original; The Exemplary Award; Popular Choice Award

This embroidery was adapted from a photograph I found in a book entitled The Owl by Manabu Miyazaki.

The Barred Owl (Strix Varia) is noted for its large size, striped markings, black eyes and hooting call. This owl is native to North America; it used to be found all over the Western United States but presently is only found in the swamp lands of the eastern and southern states.

I liked the dramatic action of the Owl as he comes into land or catch his prey. I attempted to reproduce this drama with needle and thread.

This thread painting is stitched in Japanese embroidery silk on a silk ground. This type of silk is flat and has no twist. The feet were stitched separately using silk and wire, and were attached by inserting the wire through the ground fabric.