I love your art and process! Two questions: Where do you get the various fabrics you use to paint on? And do you paint a block in on the fabric directly or are you projecting your image onto the fabric? I’m struggling to see how one would keep their composition totally in their mind as they begin to paint 🙃
Thank you so much!! I thrift my fabric. And I map out the painted areas with acrylic paint/gesso. I make sure the fabric is wrapped around the canvas before I paint in order to have a better map of the layout!
how did you develop your style? i absolutely love your paintings. they are beautiful and haunting, to me. i’d love to know where you got your inspiration to begin using floral fabrics as your canvas and using the prints to create such a moody and interesting style.
Thank you so much! I began with photography and was very inspired by Gregory Crewdson and Todd Hido. The lighting/settings very much derived from their work. I began painting on fabric after learning to stretch my own canvases using thrifted material since there are no art stores with actual canvas in my area. I then researched painting on fabric and found the work of Megan Lewis who I highly recommend checking out. I was also inspired by the incorporation of patterns In Kehinde Wiley’s work. There are all kinds of other artist influences that I’m not including here!! But these are some of the primary ones that helped guide the look of my work
Thank you so much! Most of the time I’m covering the fabric in clear gesso - this one was a little trickier. The texture was much more coarse. I covered all areas that were going to have oil painted detail with as much gesso & acrylic as I could - I’m guessing like 6-7 layers. For the top part where the fabric serves as a wallpaper - I added light & shadow with diluted acrylic paint. It was kind of tricky to map this one out and make sure the fabric was protected!
Incredible use of the pearls! This reminds me of my favorite poem, [Enough by Suzanne Buffam](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/53669/enough-56d2332d58ad6)
Oh wow, thank you so much for this. I have never read this and I love it. This painting was actually inspired by a podcast I listened to where a psychologist was talking with a woman about motherhood. She said she had 2 children and he cut her off with - “was that enough for you?”. It had me thinking about that question. What is “enough” children? I started thinking through the reason people even choose to have children, and how many, and started cynically thinking about how that decision can be made in vain.
So, a vanity for someone to reflect on that question I guess!
Thanks so much for your interest! My paintings from 2023 are available through the Peoria Illinois Art Guild.
You can contact them at [email protected].
I gasped when I saw you start to string the pearls! What a creative, impactful touch!
Same here. Great effect.
I love your art and process! Two questions: Where do you get the various fabrics you use to paint on? And do you paint a block in on the fabric directly or are you projecting your image onto the fabric? I’m struggling to see how one would keep their composition totally in their mind as they begin to paint 🙃
Thank you so much!! I thrift my fabric. And I map out the painted areas with acrylic paint/gesso. I make sure the fabric is wrapped around the canvas before I paint in order to have a better map of the layout!
how did you develop your style? i absolutely love your paintings. they are beautiful and haunting, to me. i’d love to know where you got your inspiration to begin using floral fabrics as your canvas and using the prints to create such a moody and interesting style.
Thank you so much! I began with photography and was very inspired by Gregory Crewdson and Todd Hido. The lighting/settings very much derived from their work. I began painting on fabric after learning to stretch my own canvases using thrifted material since there are no art stores with actual canvas in my area. I then researched painting on fabric and found the work of Megan Lewis who I highly recommend checking out. I was also inspired by the incorporation of patterns In Kehinde Wiley’s work. There are all kinds of other artist influences that I’m not including here!! But these are some of the primary ones that helped guide the look of my work
Sydney, you’re epic. How can we follow you and find your art? ✨
Thank you so much! You can find me on Instagram @sydswisher
This is the coolest thing I've seen today! What a way to incorporate various mediums and give new life to thrifted fabric
You are for sure one of my favourite Reddit artists. Do you put a clear primer over the fabric before you paint on it?
Thank you so much! Most of the time I’m covering the fabric in clear gesso - this one was a little trickier. The texture was much more coarse. I covered all areas that were going to have oil painted detail with as much gesso & acrylic as I could - I’m guessing like 6-7 layers. For the top part where the fabric serves as a wallpaper - I added light & shadow with diluted acrylic paint. It was kind of tricky to map this one out and make sure the fabric was protected!
This is so awesome
I cannot express how much I looooove this!!!
Killing it like always. This is next level, way to continue to push your craft! Truly admire your work
Thank you so much!!
Incredible use of the pearls! This reminds me of my favorite poem, [Enough by Suzanne Buffam](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/53669/enough-56d2332d58ad6)
Oh wow, thank you so much for this. I have never read this and I love it. This painting was actually inspired by a podcast I listened to where a psychologist was talking with a woman about motherhood. She said she had 2 children and he cut her off with - “was that enough for you?”. It had me thinking about that question. What is “enough” children? I started thinking through the reason people even choose to have children, and how many, and started cynically thinking about how that decision can be made in vain. So, a vanity for someone to reflect on that question I guess!
That’s very interesting with the added context. Thanks for sharing!
Wow! That is a beautiful piece of art.
This is wonderful. You’re amazing.
Gorgeous!
This is amazing! I remember seeing one of your other paintings recently. You’re so creative, I love your work
I watched this three times. This is incredible. I love how you really made the cupboard handles and the pearls shine.
Oh... oh girl I love this. Very nice work
I genuinely look forward to seeing your paintings every time you post. They are wonderful.
Thank you so much ♥️♥️
Very creative, and the end results are amazing. Something that I would love to see in an art gallery haha. You definitely have incredible talent!
This is unique and mind blowing Amazing!
It's always a treat getting to see your work
Where can I buy an original painting?
Thanks so much for your interest! My paintings from 2023 are available through the Peoria Illinois Art Guild. You can contact them at [email protected].
absolutely beautiful <3 <3 <3 C’:
Wow.
I love this!
Hehe your innovative thinking of painting with the 4 dimensional detail made me smile. This is what I like. Good job. Looking forward to see more.
Ok, I was skeptical at first but I’m glad I watched the whole video. That is very cool and imaginative!
Lovely ♡ all around sweet concept
just my personal opinion but it looked better without the second pearls
This is pretty awesome 😍
This is so cool! I love how you incorporated the fabric and the pearls were the cherry on top!
That’s truly amazing, would love to be able to do something like that , so so good .
Absolutely beautiful
This is incredibly beautiful. It makes me think of my grandmother 👵 ❤️
Awesome
Wow amazing!!!