Last week, Patch a local illustrator who graduated in 2006 and works as an aide at the .
We asked readers what they thought of it in a series called First Impressions.
The Artist's Turn
Perrin says the piece was done as a part of her senior Fine Art thesis at SUNY New Paltz.
I was exploring a few themes including history, women as icons, and relationships. I have always been fascinated by the story of Queen Elizabeth I. I am attracted to her bold actions as a female monarch and I looked to historical paintings of her for inspiration.
I depicted her holding an iguana to represent how her people thought of her as frigid, or cold-blooded, for defying conventions and not marrying. I wanted to portray her as strong woman whose love for her country trumped all.
I used unconventional materials and embroidered the heart as well as glued on small seed pearls to create a lavish and dynamic portrait.
Editor's Note: If you would like to be a part of this series, e-mail lon.cohen@patch.com.
