'The Wolds in Winter' was the winner of the Coat's Anchor Award 2007 and it is one of many very good entries on show at the Yorkshire & the Humber Regional day. It is an excellent example of the use of machine embroidery in a panel which conveys beautifully the atmosphere of a cold, wintry landscape. The panel has instant impact and is well designed with contrast between curved and undulating lines and sharp details. The chosen colours reflect the subject very well, giving an impression of shadow passing over the countryside, with a hint of bright green for the spring that will follow.

Its creator wanted to convey the bleakness of the sparsely populated Yorkshire Wolds where the gently undulating landscape is punctuated by steeply sided valleys and show the impact that man has had on the environment. She was inspired by the effect of the low winter sun turning the grass to acid green and the shadows to a steely blue. Leafless trees on the horizon provide a stark contrast with the steeply sloping fields.

The style of her work was influenced by David Hockney's watercolours of the Yorkshire Wolds and the use of strong shapes in the work of John Piper.

There are 17 branches in the Yorkshire &the Humber Region details of which can be found on the Embroiderers' Guild website.

We publish a regional magazine annually which is free to members. The Regional Chairman can be contacted as follows:- e-mail:- m.judges475@btinternet.com or tel. 01652 634857.