A few years ago I started collecting hand cut silhouette portraits and teaching myself how-to cut from this amazing book Silhouettes: Rediscovering the Lost Art by Kathyrn Flocken. I'm still very much a beginner but I find great inspiration from the originals cut by professionals and sold as souvenirs at circuses, local fairs, or on the boardwalks across the United States. Before photo booths and Polaroids...there were silhouettes.
Here's an early acquisition, a "sweet old silhouette" found in a little antique shop in Sarasota, Florida. Thanks Jeff.
For Christmas last year, my mom gave me a portrait cut of her and her sister done at a local fair in Kansas in the late 50's. It hung in our hallway all the years I was growing up but was lost amongst a large group of photos in one of those collage mat frames. I couldn't believe I never noticed it! It's funny how something can be in front of your eyes but not on your radar.
Delores Jean is on the left. My mom, Patsy Ann, is on the right.
Notice anything similar? They are both "signature" stamped by L. Pierre Bottemer.
Although the stamps vary slightly (note the slant of the 'L', the loops on the 'B' and final 'r' flourish) they have to be the same person. I LOVE the personalized stamp signature (I use one in my own craft packaging on library cards) and I feel like it really opens up a dialog here. Why the juxtaposition of something handmade with something pre-fab especially when a signature is also considered one-of-kind? Does a stamp bring down the work's one-of-a-kindness or does it read more as being done by a professional? I feel like by making the signature a stamp and incorporating it as part of the graphic design, he is able to keep the focus on the silhouette while still taking pride in his work. Who is L. Pierre Bottemer and how many silhouettes did he do to warrant at least two different custom stamps? I'm totally geeking out over this.
