Bees have always captured my attention. In the past, I have made quilts on this theme. For an upcoming exhibition, I wanted to expand this series.
Bees are in danger worldwide. In the Netherlands, more than half of the wild bee species are threatened or have disappeared. Honey bees are also severely affected by diseases. They are essential; without them, our dining table would look a lot emptier. Bees pollinate many of our vegetables and fruits.
A honey bee produces a teaspoon of honey in its entire lifetime. My work draws attention to this fact. Honey is important in our food supply.
What can we do to preserve the bees?
Sow bee-friendly flowers and place bee hotels for wild bees. Together, we can make a small contribution to the preservation of these artists of nature.
Dimensions: 39” H x 50” W
Materials: cotton hand painting, polyester, felt, silk
Technique: cotton with ice dyeing, painting, (gold) longarm quilting, embroidered
I adore bees and my heart leapt when the screen opened and I saw one peeking up from the bottom. Living in a desert, we don’t have many bees. Too much heat and too little humidity half the year. Men have to climb up the date palm trees to hand pollinate them. We do occasionally see them from time to time though. It doesn’t help that our neighbors are constantly asking to have thaeir yards sprayed with insecticides to kill off the mosquitoes, an unintentionally the bees with them. Thanks for bringing this crisis back to our attention.
Years ago, I watched a documentary about the disappearance of bees around the world. The potential consequences for ecosystems were so significant that I found it both alarming and heartbreaking. I remember seeing scenes of large trucks carrying bees from state to state across the United States to support pollination efforts.
Korea also experienced a mysterious decline in honeybee populations for a time, though I recently heard encouraging news that their numbers are recovering.
Looking at the healthy, vibrant bees in your beautiful quilt, I hope that real bees will thrive once again in your country and continue their essential work in nature.