I started planning this tapestry portrait of my mother one year ago. As I was concluding her portrait on my loom, it became evident that her real-life tapestry was also coming to a conclusion. I arrived at Mom’s bedside with the portrait in hand, warp ends dangling. Her smile in that cherished moment is one I will never forget. In the days that followed, she quietly slept. I silently braided the warp-end edging, trimmed the tails on the back, stabilized the tapestry through the lining, and stitched the lining in place. I carefully secured the last stitch. In the wee hours of the next morning, while she was asleep, the Lord Jesus called my mother home. Tapestry complete. Beautiful.
Eye of the Beholder is about my mother who taught me to appreciate beauty. This is a portrait of a woman with an eye for beauty, with beauty in her eyes.
I humbly share my process of weaving Eye of the Beholder in this video:
May you seek beauty that never ends.
Her daughter,
Karen
Dear Karen: Thanks so much for the BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE to your dear Mother…and for sharing the work that went into the creation of this beautiful tapestry. God’s timing is so perfect, as this video reflects. How grateful I am that your Mother was able to appreciate the tapestry before she went Home! How glad I am to see your smile as you share it with others. You have been so blessed to see the beauty…and to share it…using your mind and heart and hands…and most of all, your spirit; the Holy Spirit really shines through what you do! May you continue to cherish and treasure the gifts and to share them; they are unforgettable. This one reminds me of my own mother’s Home-going, over 60 years ago. God Bless you; Your own eyes are those of the Beholder. And your choice of music was PERFECT! Thanks for sharing and blessing my life! 🙂
With very deepest sympathy on the loss of your beloved mother, and you have made such a fitting tribute to her to cherish her memory.
Dear Karen, What a beautiful last gift you gave your Mom. My sincere and deepest sympathy. It’s obvious that she holds a special place in your heart.
Dear Karen,
Please accept my condolences for the loss of your mother. The tapestry, made with such love, perfectly captures her beautiful smile and character displayed in the photograph. May her memory warm you for the rest of your life.
Pam
Dear Karen, what a beautiful tribute to someone who not only saw beauty, but was beautiful! What a precious legacy she has left you. Thank you for sharing this beauty with us. Many blessings to you!
My condolences in your loss. What a beautiful tribute to your mother and what a treasured keepsake for you. You are an amazing and talented artist. You are blessed to have had her and she blessed to have had you! Hugs and much love.
Words can’t describe how I am feeling. It was as if she was waiting to see it finished.
Prayers for you and your family, to find peace in your heart from all the memories. ❤️
Thank you, sister. I praise the Lord for His timing and how He used this tapestry to bless and honor Mom and display His beautiful work in her life. He uses the dark threads along with the colorful and light threads to create something unique and beautiful when yielded to the Master Weaver.
Dear Barbara, I will always be grateful to have my sisters as my best friends. The Lord’s timing is best, even when we don’t know it at the time.
Love you,
Karen
Thank you for sharing your inspiring tapestry. Hugs to you.
God knows how to finish all the loose ends, doesn’t he! I’m sorry for your loss.
I am so sorry for your loss. What a lovely blessing this piece is for your mother, yourself and all of us who have been fortunate enough to experience this beautiful work as it has progressed.
Gone Home. So happy for your mother, although I know you must miss her intensely. Beautiful words and work, Karen.
How blessed you are to have had your mother for so many years. And how wonderful that she was able to slip away peacefully. Hopefully, the finished tapestry will help to alieve your feelings of loss.
My sincere sympathy for you and your family, Karen.
Deepest sympathy, prayers and ❤..
Bless you, my dear. Such a sweet and peaceful passing.
Karen, the video is beautiful & tears are running down my cheeks. I remember meeting your mom at a Moms in Touch prayer meeting, when we all lived in Houston. Praying our teens through high school and then college. The tapestry shows her essence. May her memory be eternal.
Thank you, Jill!
Love,
Karen
I have no words for the beauty of the tapestry or the tribute that it became. Your love for your mom seeps from it- I hope you rest in the knowledge that she saw the tapestry and knew your love. My condolences to you and your family . She is in the presence of her Lord!
What a beautiful tribute to your mom – a lovely way to honor her life and legacy. My Mom joined the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ in glory 2 years ago, my Dad-in-law in January and my Dad is nearing the end of his time here on earth as well……so this post ‘hit me in all the feels’. Thank you so much for sharing!
So sorry for your loss, but what a grace that you got to be with her at the end and that she got to see your labor of love.
Dear Liz, We have an everlasting hope. Hugs to you as you live and trust in that Hope.
Love,
Karen
Karen, you are in my heart and my prayers. It is so hard to lose your mother. Your beautiful tapestry is a reminder of the special memories she leaves with you.
Dear Karen,
What a blessing God gave you and your mom one last shared moment.
My condolences to you and your family as grief is near. May God surround you with his love to guide you.
Nannette
Dear friends,
Your outpouring of love touches me deeply. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind and compassionate words . I’m so blessed to have you with me.
All my love,
Karen
Wow! This is very moving. What a blessing it is to have a mother. I’m so sorry for your grief and so grateful for life everlasting.
Dear Karen
I follow your Blog and admire your work. I am sorry for your loss.
It is an amazing tapestry of your mother and it was such a good timing to show it to her before she went to be with the Lord.
Some time ago I found a poem by a Swedish author; Göran Tunström.
It’s a quote from one of his books; “Famous men from Sunne”
“When mothers die
you loose one of the geographic coordinates.
You loose every other breath
You loose a glade in the woods
When mothers dies there is brushwood everywhere.”
I think it describes something about how the loss of a mother feels like; although you know she is in good hands and you will meet again.
Take care
Ida
Dear Ida, Thank you for your kind sentiments. The poem does aptly describe the loss. It’s comforting to be reminded that these feelings are common.
Thank you,
Karen
A lovely tapestry of a lovely person by a lovely weaver.
My condolences to you. May her memory be for a blessing.