The Lark Ascending

I heard and saw this performed last week and immediately had the idea for my next piece. Having thought about it since, it hasn't changed a bit, so that is a good sign. I have quickly put the necessary detail on the idea and even ordered the yarn.

Probably the best piece of English classical music; possibly the best known; and definitely the piece that paints a picture most readily in the mind. I still haven't woven a tryptych, even though several of my ideas started off with that in mind - so this will be the first.

It will also have a background and foreground layer

I think each background piece will be about 14" wide and the pattern is an 8 shaft twill based on a pattern I found when researching Network Drafting as a technique to make vertical curves; part of the imagery to support the picture of the ascending flight of the bird. Each piece will be in a different colour pallete to reflect farmland, moorland and seashore - three habitats of the skylark. I have found a space-dyed wool which I really like.
I have also found a wool/cotton blend in variagated colours which will give a similar effect but the colours are more subtle and taken from the different heather colours at different seasons.

The foreground layer will be a near transparent layer to allow the background to show through and it will not be as wide as the back panel. Each of these foreground panels ( I have not decided if there will be just one or one per panel) will have a ascending birds woven into the open weave structure...each one showing a bird at a different point of its ascent. I will also weave-in a complementary spiral into this piece, showing the birds path up, as if it were leaving a trail as it climbs or falls. If i am really brave, i might do these by weaving in beading....if not, I will use the tapestry weaving techniques or pile loops I used in the Khumba Puja wall hanging.

I am hoping the finished piece will be three vertical hanging weavings with a 2nd layer, hung side by side, showing larks at stages of its ascent, against a background of a different colour suggesting the different habitats in which it is found.

The yarn should be here before the end of January, but I have the yarn for the foreground so I am going to warp this and experiment until i have the three skylark silhouettes I am happy with.