New abodes for the birds...

I've begun the painstaking task of backing and mounting

my large 'Sanctuary' birds for framing, here is

'Flaming Flamingo' on her back

'Ellis' Paradise' on her back with the beginnings

of her mounting 'armatuer' - to enable the

delicate tail to be raised off the mounting board...

The Kingfishers 'Halcyone & Ceyx' are ready for mounting

 'Flaming Flamingo' on her mount in amongst the

chaos, 'Major Tom' wrapped ready for the framer

and 'Last Gasp' on the wall awaiting the finishing touches 



tools of the trade on antique French lace handkie

Almost there...

 Day 11 - the 5th petal takes shape

 roughly 50 hours so far (seen here

on her temporary tulle membrane

with Maria's original pinned beside)

 Day 12 - the 5th petal is almost complete

 Day 13 - the last petal is getting there...

Day 14 - the 6th petal is almost complete and the stem

is also on it's way, "last gasp" is shown here with

the original by the magnificent Maria Sibylla Merian c1670

This is the most complex and time consuming reinterpretation

I have undertaken in the past 3 year 'Sanctuary' project,

there are so many tiny pieces (I estimate at least 700 fragments

of embroidery and lace) pinned together to create

the striated tulip in it's last days, and I wonder what Maria would

think of 'her'?  I know she would be happy that i am reinterpreting her work,

as the books she published of her flower paintings were for others to

"copy, embroidery or enjoy" and to allow her to make a living!

and here's a detail so you can see the pins!