Heidi Wulfraat - Carnival

I enjoyed this theme. It is a subject matter that I most likely would never have approached on my own. The first thoughts that came to mind when contemplating this challenge were monochromatic, photographic images of the "side show" carnival variety. In fact my perception was so photo oriented that I knew I would not be able to take this line of approach without copy-write access which became a deterrent.
I then began to explore the Venetian Carnival which, of course, is such a visual draw. I chose a relatively subdued palette in contrast to this very lively and colorful theme. The figure in this piece is meant to be somewhat ambiguous as Carnival is known to be a festival of disguise both in terms of gender and social strata. Fruit and vines were included to indicate a celebration of bounty and indulgence. Pears were added in reference to nature, curves and the feminine form, also a formative subject matter when considering the Venetian Carnival!
Finally, a little starling head appears in this piece to add a sense of  mischievous folly. This very particular bird appears in many of my pieces.

Techniques and materials:
hand painted, appliqued, hand-painted fabrics and paper
photographic image transfer, inkjet (This pertains to the little starling who actually lives in our home and kindly poses for photo-shoots whenever necessary. He is a non-releasable rescued bird.)
Prisma coloured pencils, textile paints and textile medium.
free motion stitching throughout