Cayce Zavaglia’s densely embroidered portraits of people are incredible. She begins by taking photos of each subjects, which are them used as inspiration for her “thread painting” where she uses one-ply embroidery thread on Belgian Linen to recreate the photo of her subjects. Her layering of the thin thread to form the dense thread paintings makes her portraits look similar to that of impressionist paintings. In addition to the design, the artist is also interested with tangled mesh of thread and knots on the back of the linen- resembling a more abstract version of the portrait.  Each artwork is slightly larger than 8″ x 10″. Zavaglia explains in her artist statement: “Over the years, I have developed a sewing technique that allows me to blend colors and establish tonalities that resemble the techniques used in classical oil painting. The direction in which the threads are sewn mimic the way brush marks are layered within a painting which, in turn, allows for the allusion of depth, volume, and form. My stitching methodology borders on the obsessive, but ultimately allows me to visually evoke painterly renditions of flesh, hair, and cloth.” See more of her thread work here. 

via COLOSSAL