Looking in the Mirror

In January DAFA hosted a workshop with Sue Benner "The Artist as Quilt". A self portrait has been on my 'list' for quite awhile - but my lack of drawing skills has kept me from actually doing one. When the workshop was announced - I decided this was my chance to give it a try...
The supply list said - bring colors you like - so I decided on a palette of purple and lime green - when I got to the workshop - I realized I was crazy because all I brought was purple and green - NOTHING to do my face with... augh!!!

Sue talked us thru the basics of how to paint our portrait with fabric and we got stared fusing and cutting out our likenesses. I gridded my picture and started to audition my fabrics.

Since this was a one day workshop - we got a good start on our portraits - but there was still lots to do...

As an incentive for us to get it done (I think) - Sue invited the workshop participants to her wonderful studio here in Dallas last Sunday for a Portrait Viewing - a dozen or so of the DAFA group showed up with portraits and stories to share.

Yep that's me in fabric and me with Sue - I used the picture on the side bar of my blog. I really don't like my portrait all that much. I think it's creepy that my head is bigger than an normal person.. I don't like my interpretation of my facial features - I really struggled with this - trying first to do it in fabric and then decided it was too dramatic and did it in thread, and Yep my face is green - when I got home I went thru my options and found a pale green hand-dye I thought would work OK - and it does. So now I have checked self portrait in fabric off my list - there could be another some day - maybe after I get some drawing lessons or when I get a little more out of my box and it can be more abstract... The workshop was great and Sue is a accomplished, talented artist - I would like to just visit inside her creative spirit for a day - the inspiration would be endless.