Inspirations



I have always loved History, Literature and Art.........................................................................................................
beautiful things, the stuff of dreams..................................................

flowers, butterflies, fairy tales, embroidered fragments, Chinese blues, Botticelli angels, Blake's visions, Burne-Jones pictures............................................................................................

amongst many other hints and wisps of the past..........................

to catch in my net and weave into mydesigns..................

which I hope others might find as beautiful as their inspirations.

Friday 20 May 2011

Chinoiserie Mme Butterfly!

Having produced papers and gifts with the chinoiserie paper I decided to develop it a little further and so produced a second board that I like even better than the last one.


This is probably what I would regard as my best board, due to the amount of design that went into it as well as the designs themselves.  They convey just the feeling I wanted of the past but with a modern twist-the altered art image. The papers are the same as before but are printed on subtle gold and silver and embossed with gold and an irredescent sparkle that is brilliant for conveying the whimsical/romantic imaginary view of the women of the past as well as being very similar to the original green tropical butterfly I used to draw Madam Butterfly's wings.

The first card is a 3d figure placed against this sparkling background.  The card in the middle is an attempt to replicate the antique pith/rice paper picture I used as inspiration and from which I obtained an authentic antique Chines lady's head,  Madame Butterfly was printed on thick tracing paper, which was perfect.  then she was placed in a plain surround with two tiny butterrflies-again to represent freedom.

The bottom item is not a card, it is a photograph frame or could be a mirror if one were inserted.  I was pleased with this as it was a completely the result of  experimentation/development.  The paper developed from the bonsai, when closely inspected had a perfect circle formed by the leaves. I embossed two different magnifications (after some trials) of the same image with rough gold, mounted it on black and-hey presto /abracadabra- I had created the most chinoiserie thing ever !!! I couldn't believe it!!!

6 comments:

  1. Dear Anne, When at the starting point, one never knows where the exciting journey will lead to; and following the progress from your initial ideas to the blossoming collection of expressions of Mme Butterfly has that exciting exploratory feel to it. From motifs to patterns with permutations and combinations of elements giving rise to new aesthetic compositions..it's truly lovely! I like the compositions in your work with ribbons around them which give the complete 'gift-wrapped' feel, making it not only look complete in a way, but also valorising the art, making it precious, like a gift. Thank you for sharing your work!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Anne, Why don't you put a link to your blog on your facebook page...that way people who discover you on the Isabelle de Borchegrave page could access your blog easily and admire your work. Go on, don't be shy! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yhank you for the advice....will do!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello again Anne, yes, I have read JLSeagull...and it did move me deeply. Was 18 then and so open to the message..I remember how inspiring it felt! Wishing you a wonderful summer!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I was very moved by it too, when I read it at uni (was always reading the things I wasn't supposed to like Russian novels modern Art books etc. instead of Geography). I hope you have a great summer too, so nice to have been in touch with you (and your work)PS when are you going to have your paper blog? Do you design planes for aliving ?!!!:-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. PSS I put a link as you advised and have been very suprised by the number of extra people looking at my blog-and liking it !!!:-) Thank you for your kind advice in that respect.
    Would love one of your dragon flies (such alovely name-you could make one but with amythical dragon body...as my lecture said I'm always full of ideas!!!)

    ReplyDelete