One of the things I find most interesting about embroidery is that you aren’t creating one image, but two. One of my current projects has brought this issue to front and center in my mind. Although the front of the embroidery is the intended image, I’ve found that the back of the work is equally appealing. There is depth and emotion captured by the haphazard, slashing stitches. The seeming spontaneity of the stitches lends a painterly effect, with complex interaction of colors and textures. The image is still recognizable as a human figure, but the resulting “disfigurements” of the face has created drama that lends itself to expressionism, and a slight nod to Picasso of course. The contrast between the front and back images are extreme. The figure on the front is classical, with an ethereal quality of calm. Whereas the back figure is in turmoil, erratic and misplaced. Each image is compelling in their own right, but I find them most interesting when the are opposing one another. Together they represent the truth behind appearances.