Relief work is how Stephen began creating fine art pieces. The techniques
used in these pieces blend American craft techniques like quilting and
embroidery, with fashion fabrics, and three dimensional mounting techniques.
Each of these pieces starts with a background that is constructed out of
fabric and mounted to an art board. The backgrounds consist of diffe ent
types of fabrics that are often manipulated, painted or dyed. Once the fabric
is complete, it is stretched like a canvas and attached to the backboard.
The second layer of the relief works is the upper image. These are designed
separately and embroidered using fashion fabrics from Chanel, Hermés,
Oscar De La Renta, and more. Once the embroidery for the upper image
is fabricated, raised 3D mounts are created using laser-cut pieces of wood.
Each piece is then mounted onto the background using stainless steel
standoffs in varying heights. The upper image fabric pieces are then affix
to the mounts, creating a breathtaking, mosaic-like, 3D work of art. The
subject matter for these pieces varies from exploded butterflies, to flowers
to fashion icons, depending on the series to which they belong. The work in
this section has been featured in museum shows around the country.
The background is embroidered quilted fabric. Marylin is stitched with over 2,000,000 stitches and mounted in relief.
36"x 36"
