Windows of Time

History

Rose Craig, together with Kerry Thomson, a clever sewing and artistic lady with many talents and Diana Angel, the designer and artist who drew up the artist impression, worked together for six years to create these panels.

Rose reflects on the project:

The story of Morgan’s history looking through the “WINDOWS OF TIME”.

In 2015, Bruce Perrott the then curator of Morgan Museum approached me to ask if our local sewing group could create a large mural to replace the beautiful old wool exhibit that no longer hung in the museum in Landseer Building.

Kerry Thomson and myself were courageous, or CRAZY enough to say yes to Mid Murray Council and the Morgan Museum Board.

I have always loved the history of Morgan.

My Dad was a professional photographer in the archives department of the South Australian State Library and he also loved Morgan and its history. My brother was a member of Society for Underwater Historical Research and started the first Morgan Museum in the Terminus Hotel bar.

My ideas on doing a colourful and fun history mural, including local flora and fauna to fit a large wall area in this lovely big old warehouse, landseers building, was born and accepted.

My passion is sewing and patchwork quilting, so with a cupboard full of fabric and a head full of ideas, the six year commitment began.

Our lovely local designer, Diana Angel was full of enthusiasm, knowledge and talent. Our first meeting was held December 2015 and much historical research commenced and continued through out the six years. The kangaroo was to be the narrator of the story and feature in each panel. The 5 panels depict Summer sunrise, Autumn, Winter, Spring and lastly Summer sunset.

A local lady told me the Morgan Methodist, now Uniting Church was the first built in the Riverland. A light bulb moment for the mural, we can make eight sections for each panel to be manageable and then put together. Hence “WINDOWS OF TIME” was christened.

Every panel covers a time period in history which is painted on the church wall at top the of each panel.

I could never guess how many different fabrics were used or how many miles of thread were stitched.

The number of hours to produce one panel was approx. 650 hours.

Total hours for 5 panels is 3,250 hours.

Description

Five quilt panels depicting the history of Morgan from 1939 to 2020.

Acknowledgements

Creators Rose Craig, Kerry Thomson and Diana Angel.

Matthew Seton who forged the bracket ends on each rod to match subject matter.

Strong men who help to lift and place in museum.

Mid Murray Council for some funds and unveiling ceremony opened by Tim Whetsone MP