September Challenge -The Garden Gate

My Father's Gate -- 2000 By Alan Sanborn

Alan speaks about this gate:

"Another one about my father. This is my father's gate. He owned the house I live in. He bought it and they were going to move up here to retire, but he kept putting off retiring, so after a few years we bought the house. When he still owned it, he built this gate. Years after he built it, it still opened and closed perfectly.

T"I saw the way the light was shining on it one day, the way the pickets throw shadows to form a pyramid with the opening into the yard at the apex. Our yard never looked so good. I ran and got my camera.

"When I painted it, it was just another painting, but now I know it's a very spiritual painting, it shows something deeper. My father and my mom opened a gate for me to go through. The pyramid shows all of the generations that got me to where I am. I think about my own kids, wondering if I will be able to honor the pyramid of those who came before me by making a gate as easy to pass through, as brilliant as this for my children to go through."

Traditionally September is the month for a challenge for me and consequently The Welcome Mat.

This year I was inspired by a quote.

"We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here's what I propose:

This year for our challenge we are going to explore the idea of the garden gate.

Through it, at it, by it? A close up of a hinge? A bird perched on it? Talking over the garden gate? Is it wrought iron, a gap in a stone fence, a wooden one?

What are you imagining? Winter, Spring? Fall? Is your gate open or closed?

There are so many amazing ideas to explore...

Here is a link to inspire you.

And another on styles of garden gates

Here is another of artist's renditions of garden gates

The parameters:

Your project needs to include some part of a garden gate. Do you need a drawing to start with? Find some to use below.

Any size you like.

Any cut you like.

Doesn't really need to be a hooking....

Must be done by January 15.

I will use this discussion to encourage and have a place for you to post your progress, cheering and questions and thoughts for others. I'd like this swap to be a bit of a supportive think tank. If we have enough interested people I'll start a group for it. I can't wait to start and I hope you will join in.

“Still round the corner there may wait, A new road or a secret gate.”

J.R.R. Tolkien I hope you'll be inspired by the garden gate and join us!