I have been "working on" a portrait of my Dad for over a decade. I have many times started and stopped and put various sketches on the back burner. My previous attempts at a portrait revolved around this one black and white photo that was used on my Dad's funeral mass book (ask your Catholic friends what that is).
As I considered the Holi festival, I thought about playing, laughing and repairing relationships. So in in that spirit, I decided to "repair the relationship" between my memories of my Dad during his life and the associations I had with this one black and white photo. I lifted the pressure off myself to create a serious portrait and just had fun with it. This one uses every color EXCEPT black and white.
I loved the freedom I felt in creating this piece. Every time I added a new tie dyed piece of fabric to this portrait, the results were surprising and it made me smile. It still does. I look at my dad's face and it makes me happy. And it seems like a truer version of "Joe" as I remember him.
Technical details:
Finished size 18"x20"
Tie-dyed cotton fabrics, cut and layered then quilted using hand-guided machine stitching
It sounds like some peace was found through the process of making this lovely piece. Your portraits are AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeanne! You're right, I found a way to disassociate my happy memories of my Dad from the unhappy memories the black & white photo conjured. AND I finally made peace with this portrait, which had been "haunting" my studio for years. The first few cuts of fabric were a big step for me, just getting the courage to put some shapes together without worrying about it being perfect. The more colors I added, the more fun it became. :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful, Kate. It sounds like it was a liberating project. I think I remember the black and white in your studio, but this is so much more vivid - - alive. Must have been a colorful guy. (sorry, had to say that…)
ReplyDeleteThanks Martha!
DeleteAmazing colours! And love the different associations, to your Dad, the black and white photo, and Holi….
ReplyDeleteThank you Alicia! :-)
DeleteYour wild selection of colors shouldn't have worked on a portrait, but it DID! And his face really comes alive. Inspiring!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Andie :-)
DeleteOMG!! It's gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThanks Diane! You've seen how many times I've attempted this portrait. I'm happy to have it done and thanks to your challenge, I got to play and have fun with it. :-)
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