Art lovers in Anguilla, including residents and visitors, were treated this week (from Sunday to Wednesday), to an extraordinary exhibition by local craftswoman, Irenee Edwards of Sandy Ground. The exhibition was mounted at the wallblake House.

Irenee Edwards with embroidered birds

Mrs. Edwards, known for her fine embroidery and hardanger work, labelled her exhibition Flights of Thread in which she featured a variety of birds, all remarkably produced in colourful French thread. They included such birds as the sparrow, turtle dove, hummingbird, peacock and parrot.

The woven birds, which obviously took a lot of painstaking time to produce were presented in beautiful frames down by Dale Hendrickson, a Kittitian artist who owns and manages Art Line Framers in Cole Bay, St. Maarten.

The opening ceremony on the grounds of Wallblake House on Sunday, February 17, was chaired by Ijahnya Christian who spoke highly about Mrs. Edwards’ work. “Irenee Edwards has chosen as her theme “Birds”, and birds always make for a very colourful display, but birds are also an indication of an island’s ecological health,” she stated. “There is more than one way to preserve the things that we treasure and Irenee is doing her bit to preserve the beauty of bird life on thread.”

Lee Bertman dialling with calling card. Damien Hughes looks on

Mrs. Christian was delighted that Mrs. Edwards had undertaken to impart her skills to a number of students who were doing well. She named some of them including Hyacinth Hughes, Dorothea Hodge and Vernetta Richardson. Mrs. Christian extended an invitation to other persons to sign up for the instruction classes in order “to preserve the fine handicraft that Anguilla is known for.”

Mrs. Edwards explained her reason for choosing birds as the theme of her exhibition. “I decided to do it because I am a lover of birds,” she stated. According to her it was a challenge to weave the multi-coloured peacock, hummingbird and the turtle dove. She was grateful to a number of persons who assisted her in her choice of birds and others who also gave assistance with the exhibition.

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