Needlepoints
Sherman
Flat is a needlepoint reflection by Elizabeth Marie Kunz. The
landscape is worked in various stitches and diverse colours which represent the
various uses of the land: pasture land, hay ground, crop land in yellow
and golden hues, as well as ploughed summer fallow. The Colville Mountains line
the top of the picture.
On the
left is depicted the large red barn of Michael Kunz, with a pile of manure to
the side, the results of the daily winter cleaning of the barn. On the mountain
side of the road line, just right of the barn, is the house that Hilary and
Violet lived in during the years of birthing seven children. This had been the
Sherman home and the site of the first post office and general store in the
area. Adjacent to the house is the old Sherman schoolhouse that had later
been brought down the hill to serve as a garage for Hilary.
Across the
road is the Michael Kunz Victorian home. Two tall Lombardy poplar trees
towered by the road. Another widely spread poplar delighted many
generations of children as they climbed its boughs.
Behind this
house is the bridge that crossed the creek. Willow trees, allegedly
planted by Uncle Frank (Amelia Kunz’s brother), line the creek.
In the patch
of dark green can be seen the Potlatch Grange Hall, with the two outhouses to
the rear . Up the road from the grange hall is the little Presbyterian Church
with the Sherman Cemetery to its side. Here rest many Kunzes and Simonses.
Right of the
cemetery is the Copenhaver home with its tall windmill. When the Copenhaver
family left the place, Hilary Kunz moved his family into this newer, American
Four Square home.
These are the
places Elizabeth called home.
This work was done by Elizabeth Marie Kunz. Bessie drew a pattern of the design that she wanted, and then performed the needle point portraits.
On the left stands a blonde, Germanic woman with a shovel. She represents the numerous strong women who have toiled and tilled the earth in our farming family history. There are numerous flower and leaf designs in the background of this picture that represent the Pennsylvania Dutch in our family background.
Isaac Okeke was an Ibo clan chief who was in the US recruiting colleges to arrange for exchange students from Nigeria to come to the United States, specifically to the Pacific North West. Bessie was involved in assisting in his research so that he might make those connections. Isaac introduced Elizabeth to Nigeria on her trip in August 1978, when she visited Isaac and Christy Okeke and their children, Chioma, Obi and the baby, Udoka. She travelled the Sahara, walked along the shoreline, and visited the village of the Okeke family, Ekwalobia. The middle picture depicts a young Nigeria boy in his native situation, fishing. His net has brightly colored fish and he is surrounded with African plants and birds. This portrayal is of a young boy who must fish, even into the night to support his family.
The last picture to the right is a self portrait. Bessie is knitting and she has two cats, Kitty and Valentine. She includes more of her Pennsylvania Dutch art in the background. Both the first and the last of these three pieces are in very bright sunlight with vivid blues, greens and golds.
Remember that Bessie was beginning to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and her hands were very painful when she did this handiwork.
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