Here are the finished faces, ready to arrange on the quilt. As I photographed them, I saw that yes, some still need a bit more finishing:
Where possible, I’ve included the original facial pattern….but many stitchings are so far removed from the original that I no longer recognize the original.
The early face were stitched on segments cut from an old scarf, but as I progressed, I cut a row of blocks off the bottom of the quilt, and used those patchworks for faces. I also dyed several squares from the leftover quilt section.
(Below) This face is half-hidden in the crochet
(Below) Here’s the first face, which was too subtle to be seen from any distance. That led to the more heavily stitched faces. I went back and added more stitching.
While most of the faces are centered in doilies, I left a few faces without doilies (Below).
No, they are not ‘happy’ faces. Resting stitch face, perhaps?
(Below) This is one of the later faces. I made a photoshop composite of 3 different faces to get this design.
Not all of the faces will be used in the finished piece. Having an abundance of choices enables a better composition. Next week, the final arrangement of doilies and faces on the quilt.
Alice Neel - for those who don’t know her, see the 2 images below. On the left is a Mary Cassatt painting of pastel happy motherhood. On the right, Alice painted the sweaty, blue-veined, sunken-eyed reality of motherhood. Both are in the show.
Right down the hall is a show of Medici portraits - the greatest possible contrast!
Everyone knows Norman Rockwell’s depiction of Thanksgiving…..but here’s Alice Neel’s take on the holiday….
One of Alice’s most notorius paintings, along with one of the Medicis
(Below) an artist and her supportive husband
(Below) 2 smaller pieces, tucked away in a small side gallery, which I almost missed…
I recently read “Clara and Mr. Tiffany” by Susan Vreeland, which was a bit too romantized but had great descriptions of the working glass studios. So after Alice, I wandered over to the American wing. The glass is impossible to photograph well with just a phone, but this detail shot gives you some idea of the beauty….
Tiffany also did glass mosaics:
Around the corner in a dark corridor are sections from the mosaic sign which once hung in front of Tiffany Studios.
I knew that John La Farge was a competitor of Tiffany’s, but I’d never bothered to look for any of his work. This piece is on the same wall in the American wing with Tiffany - I had just never noticed. The reflections made it difficult to study closely.
Before we left, a quick stop at my favorite gallery, which used to be called Islamic Arts. Unlike other loud, crowded galleries, this one is an oasis of calm.
A few years back, artisans were hired to carve out this great arches, and the publicity brought a flutter of attention, but now all is quiet again.
(Below) The reception room, brought from arab lands and installed here. Not well known but worth seeking out.
A room with glorious carved ceiling and wonderful rugs.
