🧩The Missing Piece🧩

A few weeks ago I received a message from a person that said they had done a puzzle and wanted to frame it, but realized they were missing a piece. The picture above was included with the message, and you can see where they painstakingly cut out a cardboard replacement piece to try to fix it on their own. From what they told me, they tried calling everyone they possibly could to find a replacement piece to know avail. Their other possible solutions included just painting the piece white and leaving it at that; hanging another memento over the missing piece once it was framed on the wall (I thought this was clever); or try to paint it themselves. Instead, they asked yours truly to help and I was thrilled to be considered. Unique challenge? Sign me up.

So I packed up my paints and supplies like I was an old-timey doctor making a house-call. I traced the empty spot onto a sheet of paper, cut it out, and then cut a new piece out of foam board. Originally I had thought I could use the cardboard piece that was already cut out, but when I saw it in person I realized the wavy corrugation would be a dead giveaway once it was framed. The foam board was a smidge too thick, but it was easy to cut down the thickness to match the rest of the pieces. A few coats of gesso, a little bit of paint magic, and the replacement piece was nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the puzzle. Once is it framed behind glass, it's unlikely anyone will know a piece was ever missing. Can you spot the missing piece?

When I told the owner that I was finished, they couldn't spot the replacement piece even though they had watched me paint the entire time. In fact, no one I've shown the puzzle to has been able to find it on their own. When I daydream about this commission, I think about the fun they'll have asking guests to spot the piece when they look at the puzzle on the wall. 10/10, would paint again

❤️Kate