Lace

A youthful figure, silhouetted in front of a lace curtain, dons a tie while looking in an ornate mirror. In the mirror we see a mysterious figure. Is the scene in the mirror real, or imagined?

2020 Leslie Peterson Sapp Lace 40x40

The figure in the mirror is mysterious. In real life, the only thing we would see reflected in the mirror is the blue curtain because of the angle. I used artistic license so that it may look like a person standing in the room with the young man, maybe behind him. One person suggested that the figure in the mirror is actually a reflection of what is the young man’s mind, or a reflection from a different time. I love learning about what other people see in my work!

This is an unusual piece for me in that there is so much pattern. There are times when I really crave that patterned, over all ornamentation. I like the way it is contrasted with the clean silhouette of the young man.

This is a bitty video where I discuss the piece a bit at my opening at RiverSea Gallery. A more detailed description of the materials and techniques I used is written below.

The curtain lace is purchased paper that I had to work very hard to preserve as I glued it down- it wanted to dissolve with the moisture of the medium. The blue curtain in front is all from a roll of tracing paper I tinted with acrylic. The wallpaper pattern is all acrylic, utilizing a metallic and interference colors, using a stencil I made and applying it with a stencil sponge from the craft store. The mirror was created by finding the mirror for sale on line, distorting it so it looked like it was in perspective, then I simply printed it out, cut it out and turned it over to its blank white side, then glued in down. The pattern reflected in the mirror is meant to look like a smaller version of the lace curtain. This created by cutting up a paper lace doily.

Glass Houses

Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

A supposed celebratory moment- a toast- seem to have a tragic under current. The title refers to the large window behind them, and the glasses they are holding, but also refers to vulnerability and potential exposure. What is being communicated? Her expression is enigmatic. 

In this video I talk about the atypical development of this piece, the limited color scheme, and how the graphic novel artist Darwyn Cooke (of the "Parker" series fame) inspires me.

He Wears That Suit

They say clothes make the man...

2019 Leslie Peterson Sapp He Wears That Suit 24x16

I had a lot of fun with this one, simplifying the shapes and colors. The complex interweaving of his fingers are expressed with a single piece of cut out paper. One side of his face is completely in shadow and bleeds into the burgundy of the wall behind. Much of the burgundy color is the raw wood panel, stained with a thing layer of paint- you can see the wood grain. To the left of his head streaks of watercolor on gray paper is collaged on. The tie is scrapbooking paper.

I have started a wood cut version of this piece.

 I got terrifically ambitious and just started carving happily away, not understanding how difficult the printing process would be when I got to it! Attempting to line up four separate color block is a real challenge. I feel a little bit like a cat that got stuck in a tree! However. I have not given up on this one. When I achieve more mastery at printing, I will try again. 

2020 Leslie Peterson Sapp WIP!

 

Stay tuned!