For this piece I have taken a work I made in 2018 and updated it in two ways. I have added length as it was too short and I always thought it was out of balance! I’m much happier with it now as I feel that the soldier balances the dark on the ladder on the right side.

A Bridge Too Far goes back to World War I when our soldiers fought a lot of the war in dug out trenches and progress against the enemy was to climb out of those trenches and charge at the enemy with guns blazing. How did they get out of these deep trenches? They made ladders that they could carry and use to climb out to or to cross other trenches in their way.

When you look back on how they were made to fight it was nothing but suicidal with heavy casualties on both sides. An absolute waste of life, of young men in foreign countries not really wanting to be there but pressured into fighting for their country. I look at the soldier on the left looking over the fields and wondering if it was all worth it? It was known as the Great War with people thinking we can never let that happen again. The catch phrase on ANZAC Day every year is “Lest we forget” yet somehow, we do forget the senseless loss of life with conflicts happening all around the world today, over 100 years later!

Machine pieced, machine fused applique, and machine quilted. Addition made with quilt as you go method. Size 40 inches H X 39 inches W