Wish You Were Here is a non-juried exhibit of one-of-a-kind fiber art postcards at Tohono Chul Park, Tucson, Arizona. It is open to artists from around the globe. Each participant mails a 4×6 fiber-based card, naked and without cover, to Tohono Chul Park. The first exhibit in 2006, received 215 fiber art postcards from all over the United States, Canada, Australia and Belgium.

The cards are to be made of fiber, and document real or imagined experiences and/or places in Arizona. Quilting, sewing, weaving, tapestry, embroidery, beading and handmade paper are fiber techniques used in the creation of these miniature works of art.

Here is my 2006 entry, Saguaro National Park, with the saguaro in bloom. The Saguaro Cactus is a large, columnar cacti with smooth, waxy skin and are unique to this area. The vertical ribs are adorned with 2″ spines. In May and June, creamy white flowers bloom in clusters at the branch endings. These saguaro blossoms are the state flower of Arizona. 

Saguaro National Park fiber art postcard entry

The desert ground is torn and randomly stitched fabric. You can see the original of this fabric forming the bottom and right side of the card frame. The blue sky is velour. The saguaro are all cut from the same fabric with the smaller ones glued to the ground. I think this green fabric was a remnant from a deconstructed skirt. French knots form the saguaro blossoms. In the foreground, the closeup saguaro was created by first stitching vertical lines on 2 layers of the fabric to form the columns. A filler was added to these channels. The filled channel fabric was then stitched to another base with batting. This process helped shape the curve of the saguaro trunk with the dimensional ribs.Course, wirey thread embroidery on the edges simulates the spines. ARIZONA was laser printed on an adhesive fabric in red and stitched over with blue thread. Read and blue…University of Arizona.

detail of french knot blossoms and desert ground

closeup of saguaro rib

 Tohono Chul Park is an Arizona State Treasure. On 49 desert acres in Tucson, Arizona, nature, art and culture connect. 2010 is the 25th anniversary of this beautiful and unique desert preserve. www.tohonochulpark.org.