Embroidered Collage

My next attempt at developing the minimally mixed style that I first tried with Surfing is in answer to the "Four Faces" challenge, one each week, at Coachcreativespace, a ning community that I joined recently.  This time I added stitching to the collage with drawing.  The piece is 8"x10" on watercolor paper.

The challenge didn't have any other guidelines beyond the title, but I knew I'd do better with a little more focus - hence the merfolk.  There was a mermaids exhibit at a local art gallery recently, so the subject has been on my mind, and then there was the stack of water-themed hand-made papers in a portfolio beside my desk.  I'd bought them for a different and larger project that isn't likely to materialize any time soon, but the ideas connected for this theme.  I specifically made it merfolk instead of mermaids because I want the faces to be somewhat androgynous and more mysterious.

I wanted to use the paper to capture a large plane of the face and the forehead to nose to chin section was the first one that came to mind.  I knew I wanted one eye to be more realistic drawing and one to be abstract stitching.  As the idea developed I decided to alternate those media on the lips as well.  The wavy portions in the lower right were a late addition, but they help place the image.

I'm happy with how this one turned out and am trying to decide whether next week's will be another variation of full-frontal or if I will try a different orientation.