Monday, January 28, 2013

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

Thursday, January 3, 2013

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!