So to start things off... the detail in the header above and the full image directly below, is my latest home portrait -  The Farm. This home portrait presented a new challenge to me. You see, I am used to creating large art, inspired by large urban architecture, and creating small home portraits of suburban homes. This is a farm in rural Vermont. A very old farm house built in the style of traditional New England architecture. The ephemera provided was also a challenge: wallpaper leftovers, paper napkins, fabric flowers and photographs. Vintage linens and crochet rounded out the picture.
 

This is exactly why the home portraits are such a joy for me. Each is completely new and different. The ephemera is so uniquely someone else's, that at first I am completely baffled - how do I put it onto a cohesive whole?
 

At first I tried several different layouts of the ephemera, many were very full of different patterns juxtaposing each other. But then I realized that in this case, simple was better. The home's weathered details are what needed to shine. I collaged the sky from all the seasonal napkins, faux flowers and wallpaper, included an old photo which shows the barn, and embarked on many hours of hand stitches. I wanted my stitches to be very deliberate and give just a hint of shutters, walls and lattices. Thus the slightly ghostly appearance. I am very pleased with the result, and so is the client!