Ruby Begonia by Sue Ferguson

Docent’s Take

The bright colors, intriguing title, and varied textures drew me to Ruby Begonia. Plus, I’ll admit it, I’m drawn to textiles. Created by fiber artist Sue Ferguson, the textures pull one’s eyes vertically and horizontally across the artwork through the use of different colors, lengths, and layers of yarn. The predominant colors of the yarns are reds, evoking the word “ruby” in the title, but the artist also weaves in streaks of closely related pinks, purples, and a bit of orange to create additional detail and depth.

As I look closely at this artwork I see a face emerge from the shape: the strands of yarn form long bangs over what could be eyes, then down to what appears to be a nose. Just below the nose appear loops of pink, purple, and red yarn that form an open, expressive mouth, perhaps saying “Oh.” Within these loops of yarn appear to be teeth, detailed with the only use of orange yarn in the artwork. What does the title Ruby Begonia make you think of? What do you see that inspired Ferguson to give this title to the artwork?

~ Hope Warshaw, touring docent

Ruby Begonia is one of three works discussed in Slow Art Friday: Three-Dimensional Art on a Flat Screen on September 11. Click here for a recording of the program.