Don't Mine Our Water, 75in L x 29½in H, wool and linen. The tapestry describes events between 1975 and 1997 on the San Juan Ridge, Nevada City, California. During these years there were a number of attempts at gold mining in an old Diggings near North Columbia. The community-organized San Juan Ridge Taxpayers Association led the resistance against these mining efforts.
A Radical Thread, 2025
Documentary 71 minutes
Project Creator and Executive Producer Susanne Cockrell
When I met Marsha Stone in 2016, I knew I wanted to make a film about the San Juan Ridge community textile project that she envisioned and led in making for seventeen years. Twelve embroidered tapestries tell the stories of this back-to-the-land community over fifty years. Through a circuitous route, I had come to meet this “Ridge” community first-hand, as an old friend Annie Greensfelder from Vermont had grown up there in the 1970's. Over time I got to know the other amazing women who helped bring this epic project to fruition including Mary Moore and Jennifer Crosby. I also spent time with many of the stitchers including William Crosby, Jane Hill Price, Judy Nielsen and Masa Uehara. On several occasions, I added my stitching to a few tapestries and instantly can pick out my snippets on the River, Homesteads, and Artisans tapestries. In 2019 I invited colleague Jeanne Finley to collaborate in making the film. We worked together for three years and created a 60 minute edit. The film was released in 2025 called A Radical Thread . Currently I am making a short film that features conversations with Marsha, Mary and Jennifer and many of the stitchers over the years about their project, centering the communal making process, dynamic storytelling and skillful rendering of the twelve tapestries. More here.
More information about the San Juan Ridge Tapestry Project here.