Paola Zanda – S
S for Saint
For the 2020 theme of letters, I have decided to take inspiration from the frescos of the Church Santa Marta in our village of Carona. For the challenge Decay in 2019, I’ve already used one from this Church. Now She is in restoration and frescos are returning to their deserved splendour.
For challenge S, I’ve chosen Saint. From all present, in particular, I’ve taken the visage of Saint Antonio.
Paolo has taken the picture and printed on fabric.
The background, I painted it with the layered acrylic painting technique. I’ve applied the printed picture and embroidered beard and hair with solid threads and the halo and decorations with golden metallic threads.
Taking a cue from the miniatures and ancient calligraphies, I inserted the letter S with floral decoration. Embroidery and quilting are all free-motion.
Detail views:
FIFTEEN BY FIFTEEN 
Wonderful work and an idea for a serie. And I love this hint of Medieval illumination 🙂
Nicely done! Is there a reason St. Antonio is included in the frescoes of a church named after St. Marta?
The Church is dedicated to San Pietro and Paolo but is named Santa Marta because it is the seat of the homonym Archconfraternity. The Gothic chapel is decorated with several saints including Sant Antonio.
It truly shines, Paola! Love the idea, the asymmetrical design, and the details.
I like the medieval atmosphere of your piece. The embroidery around Sant Antonio is beautifully done and makes your quilt shine like an old manuscript page.
I really like the way you have produced this, you have really enhanced the photograph with your stitching. Lovely work.
The use of frescoes as a basis for your series make for an interesting year. Love your choice of colours and quilting and embroidery techniques.
I am a great admirer of fresco’s and love how you made this Saint Antonio painting into a quilt. What is the layered acrylic painting technique? It looks very effective. Bravo!
My husband and I have done a lot of traveling, entered many a historic church and seen multiple frescoes. You have done a great service to these wonderful artifacts with you realistic rendering of this saint. The illumination is stunning.
Very interesting piece where I discover different details each time I look at it. Beautifully done
Beautiful quilt, nice combination of colors and composition. Great start of the series.
Frescos in series in quilt, quite a challenge. You did a great job on this piece. Love the stitching in the beard and hair and the surrounded background. It looks like an old manuscript, love to see your next one!
I like the idea of images from your church to make your series. This one is a great start. I like the stitching used to enhance and frame the Saint.
I love how you added the stitching into the print. Lovely.
This resembles a page of an old illuminated manuscript, down to the gold leafing and illustration. Beautifully quilted and interpreted, well done!