I have always been interested in people, and I make a LOT of art quilts that are portraits or figures. This one is based on a photo I snapped of a little boy visiting an Art Quilts Unfoldingarium. He was in a room where there were musical instruments for children to try, and he was engrossed in beating on a steel drum. I loved his intense and joyous expression in the photo, and enjoyed recreating it in fabric. I never make patterns or sketches, just start right in with my scissors, and then tweak, trim, or patch as needed. I often push myself to make more abstract depictions, but this time, I was determined to show a realistic expression of this beautiful child.
Materials
Commercial fabrics and upcycled thrift store clothing, decorative cording, zippers
Techniques
Raw edge hand applique, hand quilting, hand embroidery