Portraits and portrets from the Netherlands

Gearing up for 2012 and Queensland Quilters Art Quilt Group (2QAQ) - and had a play with self-portraits (our first challenge and workshop on 25 March). Thanks to Ankie for sharing the work and talents of another fantastic textile artist from the Netherlands Nienke (and if you follow the link and scroll down her 2011 Gallery you will see her portrait work in all its glory). This year 2QAQ will meet every second month and will commence each meeting with a demonstration / play / workshop-type activity. Our first challenge will be "portrait" which has involved lots of internet surfing and researching copyright free or publicly available e-publications (such as through Interweave and QuiltingArts.com) to inspire the launch of a thousand faces. So my first attempt at a portrait (left and below)  - still in the "raw", and at the unadorned, hairless, "fused only" stage is based entirely on Nienke's work and style - at present I am interested in the technique and processes she may have used - and the fun to be had in being able to re purpose those bags of thready scraps! Nienke's blog is well worth the visit. For those of us not fluent in Dutch, Google translator opens the portal to the world of possibilities and appreciation of the gifts of others even further ... and the light of artists like Nienke can filter through ...

Postscript: After emailing Nienke for permission to post my efforts (inspired by her creation) Nienke has advised she was inspired by the work of  Bodil Gardner from Denmark, who has been making pictures for many years - Bodil hopes her portraits inspire the rest of us.  Bodil's website includes a wealth of information on creating portraits and the techniques she uses at her website. Well both of these artists have inspired me (albeit a work in progress) and I hope you get to enjoy Nienke's and Bodil's works too.