Balancing Act

At the time I made this piece, I was exploring phototransfer to linen. 

The face is inspired by a 1910 photograph archived at the Eastman Institute (and in the public domain). After heat-transferring the image to the fabric, I layered it with hot beeswax to add a translucency. 

I applied acrylic-stiffened cheesecloth to the face to produce a literal and symbolic veil. There was much discussion of veils and burkas in 2015. I was interested in veils as both as a painting technique and as a transparent material worn over the face for concealment or for protection from the elements. This piece reflects the balancing act between revealing and concealing