The spitting image of us
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (342088)
Rockingham, Australia
February 28, 2017 7:14am CST
I've just commented on a discussion by Owlwings (@owlwings) about a silhouette portrait he has of his great grandfather. Here is the post: if you'd like to read it.
In 2015 we attended the wedding of our nephew in Surrey, England. Four uncles were in attendance, all from Australia. Their sister was mother of the groom and, as you can imagine, a very good time was had by all.
At the very flash wedding, a 'roving artist' by the name of Charles Burns was wandering among the guests and creating hand-cut silhouettes. He would ask that you stand still for a very short time then produce this incredible likeness with no more than black card, a small pair of sharp scissors and a keen eye.
Once done the images were immediately stuck into a small presentation card and presented to the 'models'. Another incredibly talented individual as every example I saw was immediately recognisable. I've shown ours here.
I know very little about my Great Grandfather, John Henry Todman, but I have this rather charming silhouette portrait which was made in 1854 when he was 14. I...
26 people like this
21 responses
@Carmelanirel2 (8084)
• United States
28 Feb 17
I have one of myself from when I was young. I think these are an art that isn't as popular as it used to be. I hope I can find mine...
3 people like this
@Carmelanirel2 (8084)
• United States
1 Mar 17
@JudyEv If only it was popular when my children were little. Still, my youngest is only 14, it would be nice if I can find someone who does that in this area.
1 person likes this
@Carmelanirel2 (8084)
• United States
2 Mar 17
@JudyEv Thank you, that is great, I hope I can meet up with her sometime.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (223776)
• Chile
1 Mar 17
Very interesting, specially the explanation you gave in your last post.
3 people like this
@allknowing (137775)
• India
1 Mar 17
You always come out with something unique each time you post here
2 people like this
@JudyEv (342088)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
It was indeed and there was no charge to us at all which was even better. :)
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
28 Feb 17
oh I would so love to have one of me and J
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
2 Mar 17
@JudyEv never seen that over here
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@JudyEv (342088)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Mar 17
@Jessicalynnt Here's a website of a lady in Baltimore who does it. Close up the gaps obviously. silhouettesbyhand .com/about/
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
1 Mar 17
That's cool. Somewhere there is one of me that I got at Disneyland when I was a kid.
2 people like this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
1 Mar 17
Several people, including you, of course, have responded to my post saying that they have seen or heard of people doing this today. Yours is a brilliant portrait and by a top-rate artist. I was intrigued and had to look him up, of course! I found that he is not 'Charles Burns' the American cartoonist or 'Charles Burns' the horror fiction writer! He is Charles Burns the (self-styled) "Roving Artist"! His web page tells a little more about the art and also contains a fascinating and illuminating video on his art and entertainment.
What a brilliant and apt person to have at a wedding, where there are so many family members and friends for the new couple to remember (I do hope that your nephew and his wife received a copy of the portraits made in an album! It seems that Charles Burns does keep copies of every one he makes - I presume, as the negative image.)
In his long career as a UK silhouette artist Charles Burns has cut over 150,000 silhouettes, including two portraits of the Queen and other notable figures
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342088)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Mar 17
In the middle of reading I was thinking to send you his website but you've found it so that's good. He has put all the portraits onto a single sheet although I haven't seen it. I was surprised to find that several in America have been 'done' in this way so it seems the age-old craft continues to thrive.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
1 Mar 17
That's sooo clever, 
so detailed, but simple...
so detailed, but simple...1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41747)
• United States
28 Feb 17
I love the picture! Such talent there.
2 people like this
