The Embroiderers’ Guild of America’s National Tapestry: “America the Beautiful”
While visiting England in the early nineties Judy Jeroy and Carol Dam saw many beautiful tapestries. They were especially impressed by the work of the dedicated “stitchers” that depicted their homeland. Returning home to the United States, they were inspired to create a tapestry that would depict the beauty of their own countries “bounty” in embroidery. 
Judy Jeroy designed five panels. Each panel incorporates geographical features, animals, birds and plants found in the various States. Phrases form the song “America the Beautiful” are placed in appropriate places on the five tapestries. 
Judy painted the canvases using twenty different colors of acrylic paint. The tapestry was stitched on #18 count hand painted white mono canvas and incorporates an enormous variety of stitch techniques. In addition to stitching directly on the canvas, embroidered “slips”, or separates pieces, were worked on painted or dyed linen twill and then applied to the panel. This simple, yet unusual design element gives the Tapestry an almost three-dimensional appearance, and guides the viewers eye from panel to panel presenting a dynamic whole. 
The Tapestry took over five years to complete, and contains the work of over 1000 artists. The permanent home for the National Tapestry is at EGA headquarters in Louisville, KY. and is available for travel beginning in January, 2009. For more 
information on Embroiderers’ Guild of America and the National Tapestry go to http://www.egausa.org
The pictures in this post are little ” thumbnails ” of some of the beautiful stitchery in the Tapestry.
The Dogwood Chapter of EGA in conjunction with their Art Embroidery Exhibit is hosting a special presentation of the beautiful National Tapestry. This exhibit will be held at the Lyndon House Arts 
Center, in Athens, Georgia on May 23 – July 18, 2009. Exhibit hours are Noon – 9:00pm Tuesday and Thursday, and 9:00am – 5:00pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.