This lovely work hand-stitched by Yomima Festus, Threads of Blessing artist, is titled Jesus the Good Shepherd. The work measures 8.5 x 10 inches. The shepherd carefully cradles a small lamb, conveying a sense of love and care. Yomina uses a multitude of French knots to articulate the texture of the sheep's coats. She carefully uses diagonal stitches to emphasize the folds of the shepherd's himation giving it a visual sense of movement and form. Contour lines stitched in black define each element and help ground the visual spaces within the canvas.
She will use the funds she receives for her needlework to provide education for her children, medical support for herself and her family, seeds or fertilizer for her crops, repairs to her home, and care for the orphans for whom she cares as a result of poverty, HIV/AIDS or other illnesses.
Yomina meets weekly with her fellow needleworkers. The community they have built through Threads of Blessing encourages each of them and has significantly boosted their self-confidence.
