It took Dina Blake 114 hours and 29 minutes to make an embroidered portrait of St Teresa of Kolkata.
Blake started the portrait in 2003, making it out of her bridesmaid’s dresses and calico material obtained from Kolkata. She finished the piece in 2009.
Blake has been embroidering since 1996 and is self-taught.
St Teresa is not her first significant piece of artwork.
In 2001 Blake sent an embroidered picture of the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, to Buckingham Palace for her the Queen Mother’s 100th birthday on behalf of New Zealand.
She is now taking the picture of St Teresa of Kolkata around Feilding rest homes and schools.
Wimbledon Villa resident Eileen Gourlay thought the portrait was a special piece of artwork.
“I think she’s (Blake) a very clever girl, it’s very precious.
“I think Mother Teresa was wonderful and she would be very proud if she saw that.”
She said there was one particular quote from Mother Teresa that spoke volumes to her.
“The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. It doesn’t matter, do the good.”
Before her marriage to husband Peter in 1992, Blake said she had no set religious beliefs.
“If I hadn’t become Catholic I probably wouldn’t have known who Mother Teresa was.
“She was there for the people. It didn’t matter who you were and where you came from,” Blake said.
“She lived an unselfish life and that’s all I want to do.”
Source
- stuff.co.nz
- Image: stuff.co.nz