Devon

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="500" height="500" src="https://devon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Maxine-macIntosh-500x500.png" alt="" class="wp-image-23661" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Maxine-macIntosh-500x500.png 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Maxine-macIntosh-300x300.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Maxine-macIntosh-150x150.png 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Maxine-macIntosh-768x768.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Maxine-macIntosh-200x200.png 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Maxine-macIntosh.png 958w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /><figcaption>Portrait 104</figcaption></figure>



One of the unexpected side effects of lockdown is how many of us have had to get to grips with technology, like Zoom and Skype. Overnight, we went from seeing friends and family in real life, to viewing their faces reduced to pixelated squares, while also trying not to look at the constant self-portrait in the corner of the screen *pass the paper bag*



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="500" height="500" src="https://devon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/pete-ward-500x500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23662" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/pete-ward-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/pete-ward-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/pete-ward-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/pete-ward-200x200.jpg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/pete-ward.jpg 567w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /><figcaption>Portrait 114</figcaption></figure>



Unsettled and intrigued by how de-personalising this all is, a print-maker from The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Anita Reynolds, has come up with the idea of using art to put some personality back into what technology has taken away by creating a portrait of one of these faces from a square familiar to her. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="500" height="500" src="https://devon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Sophie-blinstrub-500x500.png" alt="" class="wp-image-23663" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Sophie-blinstrub-500x500.png 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Sophie-blinstrub-300x300.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Sophie-blinstrub-150x150.png 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Sophie-blinstrub-200x200.png 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Sophie-blinstrub.png 639w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /><figcaption>Portrait 108</figcaption></figure>



The idea has proved so popular, the Devon Guild has extended it to the public, inviting everyone, artist or scrawly doodler, young and old, to come up with their own portrait or to create a picture of who they&#8217;ve been spending their time with for an online exhibition, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Isolation Portraits (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.devonguildofcrafts.co.uk/isolation-portraits-2020" target="_blank">Isolation Portraits</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="500" height="500" src="https://devon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Laura-Drayson-the-selfless-and-the-selfish2-500x500.png" alt="" class="wp-image-23665" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Laura-Drayson-the-selfless-and-the-selfish2-500x500.png 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Laura-Drayson-the-selfless-and-the-selfish2-300x300.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Laura-Drayson-the-selfless-and-the-selfish2-150x150.png 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Laura-Drayson-the-selfless-and-the-selfish2-768x768.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Laura-Drayson-the-selfless-and-the-selfish2-200x200.png 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Laura-Drayson-the-selfless-and-the-selfish2.png 800w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /><figcaption>Portrait 97</figcaption></figure>



More than 120 portraits have already been submitted, demonstrating a wide range of skills and use of media, from simple line drawings to ceramics, stained glass, tiles and textiles (and I&#8217;m sure that&#8217;s a dishcloth, above).



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="501" height="500" src="https://devon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Mike-and-Laura-2020-501x500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23666" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Mike-and-Laura-2020-501x500.jpg 501w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Mike-and-Laura-2020-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Mike-and-Laura-2020-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Mike-and-Laura-2020-768x767.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Mike-and-Laura-2020-200x200.jpg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/Mike-and-Laura-2020.jpg 801w" sizes="(max-width: 501px) 100vw, 501px" /><figcaption>Portrait 2</figcaption></figure>



What&#8217;s striking is how much emotion they convey, with some really quite sad ones, and their fascinating depictions of all the new things we&#8217;re getting used to, from wearing masks, to searching empty shelves at the supermarket, to wondering what the cat thinks about (or is that just me?)



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="495" height="500" src="https://devon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/InterFace-Gillie-Hoyte-Byrom-495x500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23670" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/InterFace-Gillie-Hoyte-Byrom-495x500.jpg 495w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/InterFace-Gillie-Hoyte-Byrom-297x300.jpg 297w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/InterFace-Gillie-Hoyte-Byrom-768x776.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/InterFace-Gillie-Hoyte-Byrom.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 495px) 100vw, 495px" /><figcaption>Portrait 9</figcaption></figure>



Fancy having a go at your own Mona Lisa &#8211; or maybe just looking for a novel way to lure the kids off screen? 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="500" height="500" src="https://devon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/20200422_091608-500x500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23671" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/20200422_091608-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/20200422_091608-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/20200422_091608-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/20200422_091608-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/20200422_091608-200x200.jpg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/20200422_091608.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /><figcaption>Portrait 54</figcaption></figure>



(Discombobulated, moi?) The deadline has been extended to 31 July so there is still time to <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="send in your own portrait (opens in a new tab)" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e7497c486e66800e54a9929/t/5ecb8ca04cd7db0c76967de6/1590398113849/FINAL+Isolation+portraits-+small+works+for+strange+times+public+callout.pdf" target="_blank">send in your own portrait</a>. If it&#8217;s a good &#8216;un it might get selected for display in the Bovey Tracey gallery, alongside the reputable Members Show in September. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="495" height="500" src="https://devon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/CC-Isolation-Diary-day-20-495x500.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23672" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/CC-Isolation-Diary-day-20-495x500.jpg 495w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/CC-Isolation-Diary-day-20-297x300.jpg 297w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/CC-Isolation-Diary-day-20-768x776.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2020/07/CC-Isolation-Diary-day-20.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 495px) 100vw, 495px" /><figcaption>Portrait 37</figcaption></figure>



Failing that, just enjoy having a scroll through all the pics (some will give you a giggle) and get involved by voting for your favourite in the public vote. 



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Devon Guild of Craftsmen (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.crafts.org.uk" target="_blank">Devon Guild of Craftsmen</a>, Riverside Mill, Fore St, Bovey Tracey, Newton Abbot TQ13 9AF. Tel: 01626 832223. Open Weds, Thurs and Saturdays, 11am &#8211; 5pm.

Express yourself! Create your own isolation portrait

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