Concertina Face ©Sarah C. Swett 2016
Faces have been making me crazy for decades
but I can't seem to stop working with them.
but I can't seem to stop working with them.
Pizzicato ©Sarah C. Swett 2009
In the past, I've gone for extremes -- a portrait, or almost no features at all.
I Dunno ©Sarah C. Swett 2003
I am not, by nature, a portraitist so getting
three people 'right' in one tapestry was definitely cause for celebration.
three people 'right' in one tapestry was definitely cause for celebration.
The River Wyrd 48" x 36" ©Sarah C. Swett 2004
Easier, by far, to skip the features,
especially in small work where less is often more,
though viewers are sometimes confused by this.
"Where is her face?" they ask.
especially in small work where less is often more,
though viewers are sometimes confused by this.
"Where is her face?" they ask.
Casting Off Page 3 ©Sarah C. Swett 2009
"Sometimes," I reply, "a face distracts from the story."
At other times, emptyness is the point.
At other times, emptyness is the point.
Warp Face ©Sarah C. Swett 2016
Dancing to the Sea 48" x 92" ©Sarah C. Swett 1999
This enormous commission relied on specific faces and
I spent months worrying if I would get them right.
On my next body of work, it was a delight
to skip the heads entirely
I spent months worrying if I would get them right.
On my next body of work, it was a delight
to skip the heads entirely
Apple 36" x 18" ©Sarah C. Swett 2001
As I write this and look at these images,
I realize that avoiding the trauma/ drama of getting faces 'right'
was a large factor in my decision to stop accepting commissions.
People wanted to be in their tapestries and they wanted to look like themselves.
Too much pressure for me.
I realize that avoiding the trauma/ drama of getting faces 'right'
was a large factor in my decision to stop accepting commissions.
People wanted to be in their tapestries and they wanted to look like themselves.
Too much pressure for me.
Anywhere Else 9" x 9" ©Sarah C. Swett 2008 Indeed, it was a tremendous relief to focus on my own ideas
and explore ways in which body posture could portray the mood of the moment,
and explore ways in which body posture could portray the mood of the moment,
Rochelle's Back (detail) 24" x 18" ©Sarah C. Swett 2004
Studying comics added a new dimension to my work
and I found that simplifying but not eliminating the features
allowed figures to be both general and specific.
and I found that simplifying but not eliminating the features
allowed figures to be both general and specific.
Bottle of Red 9" x 9" ©Sarah C. Swett 2008
And recently, this business of using embroidery on my tapestries
has made faces positively compelling.
With each one, I'm full of curiosity, impatient to see who will show up.
has made faces positively compelling.
With each one, I'm full of curiosity, impatient to see who will show up.
How is it that this work can keep grabbing me?
Hurrah 7" x 5" ©Sarah C. Swett 2013
ps. NEXT WEEK is my stop on the ATA Blog Tour, so I will post a day later than usual, on Wednesday the 27th, as Wednesdays are blog tour days.
Be sure to stop by Elizabeth Buckley's tomorrow and see what she has to say
Be sure to stop by Elizabeth Buckley's tomorrow and see what she has to say
