Monthly Archives: April 2017

I Use Pets to Inspire Others, and Inspired Myself

Pet Portraits

We love our pets, don’t we??  Two years ago we made a frantic, late-night trip to the emergency pet clinic.  Three hours later, we came home without our precious Gretchen.  It was devastating.  That’s why I jumped at the chance this winter to put together a class where my portrait techniques are applied to Pet Portrait Memory Quilts.

I’m a dog person with lots of dog pictures.  However, in this class I wanted to address pet portraits for a variety of animals: cats, birds, horses, in addition to dogs.  So, I put out the call for precious pet photos to my friends and colleagues and found myself with many more great photos than I was able to use for the class.

I made some adorable samples for the course.  A few of them are included in this post.  As you can see, for these, I simplified the compositions.  I did this to teach the techniques and focus on specific art concepts. I’m hoping that students will learn the lessons and then apply them to more complex compositions.

I Inspired Myself

More complex compositions:  now that sounds like advice I should follow myself.  So, I went back through the photos and set aside a few more images for a new series.  The exciting thing for me is that these new compositions will include more context and will tell a larger story.  I’ve chosen some images that address the reasons we have and cherish our pets: loyalty, companionship, comic relief. . .

Last year, I completed Puppy Love.  That will soon be joined by “Vigil.” This second piece in the series is still a work in progress, so stay tuned to see how this piece and the rest of the series develops.

Cat Lovers Stay Tuned

And, if you’re a cat person, don’t worry.  A cat series is soon to follow.

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Busy Signal Got Me Thinking…

As I look back at that last post, I realize that much has changed:

  • gave my website a makeover for a cleaner, fresher look
  • rearranged my studio for better energy flow
  • finished and found the perfect title for my newest piece.

Ta-Daa…I give you Busy Signal

Lea McComas
Busy Signal, 36 in x 36 in, thread-painted portrait of girl with cell phone.
moveable machine stitching over fused fabric applique’
copyright: Lea McComas, 2017, all rights reserved

In my last post, I was just beginning the stitching phase of the work.  Take a look at the results up close.

Lea McComas
Busy Signal, detail stitching of mouth
copyright: Lea McComas, 2017, all rights reserved

Lea McComas
Busy Signal, detail stitching of hand
copyright: Lea McComas, 2017, all rights reserved

 

 

 

What really excites me about this piece were the challenges that led to an evolution in my process.

One of the difficulties in thread painting is to balance the stitching in such a way as to keep the surface relatively flat, and then mitigate when it isn’t.  This usually involves a process called “blocking” where the surface is moistened and then heat and pressure are applied until the piece is dry.  If all goes well, the bulk is redistributed.

That was not working for me, until panic and frustration led to inspiration.  I realized that Busy Signal was  flat except for the face.  When pushed from the back, it was beautifully convex, if not a bit unstable.

I went with it; attached a reinforced panel, slightly larger than the face, to the back of the piece and filled the space between with batting for support.  I’m thrilled with the result.  It may be difficult to fully appreciate in photos, but when you see the piece in person, you can realize how it enhances the sense of depth in the piece.

Why I love being an Artist?

problem-solving — thinking outside the box — discovering something new

Where can you see it in person?  I’m currently working on a few options.  I’m also hard at work on my next piece, and a new series, that will use this new technique again.  Stay tuned because you’ll see it and read about it here, first.

 

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