For this challenge I have approached it in a minimalist manner by I  interpreting a photograph I took of a step well near Kheri Gate, Amer when I was India last year. Step wells come in different forms but I find them fascinating even if the water at the bottom is often somewhat suspect! I went down to the water level and back up again, the choice of paths is vast and it is childish fun choosing which steps to take next. There are old water marks on the stone and some parts are more worn than others and this one had the vestiges of the Holi festival on the lower steps.

I stencilled the steps and alcoves on to silk noil which I had painted and then I machine outlined the stencil. A machine embroidered line at the top to represent the carved stone work around the top and then using a sponge I added the water marks and residues. There is a very small amount of hand stitching but I decided that less is more and as the stonework is relatively smooth I didn’t want to add out of place texture, the surface of the noil was, for me, enough. I have bound the edge in white, like a photo edge but it has come up true white in the photo!