Anyone who has been to Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence and seen the David in person knows the difference between photo representations pulled up on a screen and the tangible experience of the art's presence. It is sometimes difficult to feature fine art on Creation of the Week for this reason. The intricate beauty of a piece like Kara's "In Utero" can be lost in translation from thread to pixles. Never the less, even without being able to see this tapestry.
There are many scales by which one can weigh good art. One way to test a piece's merit is by the question "does this piece grow in richness and complexity the deeper the examination?" "In Utero" is incredibly detailed, and grows more so as one looks on, an accomplishment only achievable through painstaking labor and time. According to Kara, it took a month of work. She wove the navy background fabric and stitched the image by hand.
The colors are so vibrant, and complement each other so well. The stitching gives motion and passion to the moment it captures. The media chosen so perfectly matches the subject. As Kara told us, it's based on a sonogram of her niece. She contemplated Psalm 139 as she worked.
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
In her comments Kara wrote: "I wanted to simply reflect the beauty and intricacy of the unborn child growing in the womb." Kara did that, but so much more. The first time I looked at the piece, I saw the universe, not a cold dead, empty place, but the C.S. Lewisian "Deep Heaven" full of warmth and life and energy. When my eyes took in the shape of the baby, I thought: "all of creation in all it's motion and movement coalesces in this: The creation of a child in the womb.
You can find more of Kara's work below, or check out her website here.
