Zhanna Plaksina — embroidery artist

01.10.2015. USA: final of the 37th annual Impressions Awards. The realistic depiction and seamless interpretation of a portrait of the third President of the United States earned “Portrait of Thomas Jefferson” multiple honors in the 37th annual Impressions Awards. The entry, submitted by Zhanna Plaksina, Quito, Ecuador, not only earned first place in the Digitizing Artistry category and Grand Champion: Embroidery honors, but it also earned the title of overall Grand Champion. While “Portrait of Thomas Jefferson” garnered the latter distinction for scoring the highest combined number of points for toughness/job complexity, technical skill, visual impact, design placement and innovation, it was attention to detail and flawless execution that made the entry a standout, according to the Impressions Awards judges. “This was a stunning reproduction of a portrait in thread,” says Deborah Jones, MyEmbroideryMentor.com. “Every detail was perfect and not a single thread was out of place.” [Read more]

01.10.2015. USA: Final of 37th international annual competition Impressions Awards. The realistic depiction and seamless interpretation of a portrait of the third President of the United States earned “Portrait of Thomas Jefferson” multiple honors in the 37th annual Impressions Awards. The entry, submitted by Zhanna Plaksina, Quito, Ecuador, not only earned first place in the Digitizing Artistry category and Grand Champion: Embroidery honors, but it also earned the title of overall Grand Champion. While “Portrait of Thomas Jefferson” garnered the latter distinction for scoring the highest combined number of points for toughness/job complexity, technical skill, visual impact, design placement and innovation, it was attention to detail and flawless execution that made the entry a standout, according to the Impressions Awards judges. “This was a stunning reproduction of a portrait in thread,” says Deborah Jones, MyEmbroideryMentor.com. “Every detail was perfect and not a single thread was out of place.”

Calling the design a “masterpiece,” Jones was particularly impressed with its unique stitch directions, including the circular patterns, which she says keep the image “soft and pleasing, instead of geometric and mathematical.” Richard Bloedow of GS USA says he voted for the entry because of the design’s complexity. “The blending in the design was some of the best I have witnessed,” he says. “Everything, from the use of thread colors to the finish of the overall design and the frame work, made this a special entry. To me, the finished product looked like a true painting.” All of this year’s judges were impressed by the entry’s digitizing and stitching execution, applauding the digitizer’s effort and skill level. “This should be studied by new embroiderers as a level to aspire to,” Jones says. And studied it will be; with its spot in the Impressions Awards winner’s circle, “Portrait of Thomas Jefferson” is now part of a permanent collection of entries that is sure to inspire decorators for years to come. [Close]