Faeriewood's Works of Light and Magic
Silhouette Art

Silhouette art has been a tradtition throughout time. In the 1800's it was an inexpensive way to have your loved ones portrait done. Back then one had to mix up their own paint, manufacture their own colors by trial and error. It was time consuming, costly and impractical for those who were of the middle class to hire an artist to do this for them. The Silhouette name came from French finance Minister by the name of  Etienne de Silhouette. Who was renouned for his miniture portraiture.

In America from the 1790's through the 1890's silhouette portraiture became popular.
Silhouette artists like Diefenback, Germany, known for his "Nymphs" and animal portraiture are still sought after becoming "vintage" items beloved by all.

Silhouette art was a way for printers and manufacturers of books, newpapers, magazines and billboard for radio and musicals to convey a message through art in advertizing,  illustration and tell a story. The color availability was not available and too expensive to reproduce on a grand scale. Up until recently have we had the color ratio ability to reproduce color copies of art that are true to the original artists work.



Why Silhouette's for me? I have always believed in tradition. My Grandmother was very fond of
silhouette art when I was a child and we both shared a love for the same style of art. As I have grown I became fascinated with silhouettes, eye catching where I would stop and stare. I would like to carry on this tradition that I hope will span time. Fairies and mythological creatures are known for thier "ability to been seen between the light and the dark". This has been whispered from ear to ear, from town to town throughout Europe and now in America. There is something magical for me to be able to do silhouettes, yet have the color availability in the backgrounds.
Whether the sun is rising or setting or be it a full moon. Silhouette art for me is a way of keeping a tradition alive and keeping the fairy faith strong, well and protected in a vintage setting of times of old. Since I was a small child fairies have been an integral part of my being as my Mother would tell me stories of the wee folk late at night as I lay in bed. A little girl's wonder of magic and delight, and perhaps as I lay there looking out the window of my bedroom I spotted a shadow of a tiny magical being who entered my heart and my life, bringing me back to days of old where horses still were a plenty, cats roamed the barn, and wheat still grew high in the field. This is the path of my heart, rememberance.........may it touch yours.  Blessings! Liza