This is one of my favorite portraits.  I loved the photo I used to make it because it captured my handsome son, Matthew, and when I look at this quilt I get the same feeling.  The process I used was torturous.  I was in a small group that issued the challenge to make an art quilt using a traditional pattern.  I hate working with traditional patterns, so I cut the photo into 9 pieces and made it into a Nine-Patch!  I made each section separately, using different fabrics in each, but taking care to match values from section to section.  Then I reassembled them with thin black strips of fabric.  The unusual shape was how I dealt with the fact that I had cut Matt’s shoulders too narrow.  I think it adds energy to the piece as well.