Aho – Spirit Dancer

Aho - Spirit Dancer. 16" X 20". Oil and acrylic on leather.

This dancer is carved, sculpted and painted to achieve a 3 dimensional effect from a single piece of leather. The feathers and border design are achieved from the carved leather. Lisa painted this piece with both oil and acrylic. The process in leather is exacting - first the drawing is made. Next it is carved into the leather, then raised from behind. It is plugged in layers to achieve dimension, then glued to an archival board and worked down to achieve crisp edges on the image. After drying the piece is carefully painted, making sure that the background of the leather remains clear.