Thinking Spring

Accordion Fold Book: "Conjured Botanicals"
mixed media collage
10 x 46 x 9"

Back of book, closed
Each page is 10 x 7.5"

Who isn't thinking about spring at this time of the year when the grass in Ohio is so brown and the sky is often so grey?
Although I am encouraged today as the sun is shining which deceives me into thinking I can go out and work in the yard.
But it is only a chilly 34 degrees.
So I conjure or make up magical flower forms like the ones in this accordion fold book.

The substrate for each small flower is paper (6.25x4.25") covered in fabric from a vintage bed sheet
 that had a rose pattern on it.
The imagined flowers were collaged to this surface then slipped into a vintage cardboard photo frame which
had that nice arched opening.
I admit that that this is not a very archival piece as the cardboard frames were very fragile.
You will notice the ripples and bubbles in the frames from the aging paper.
They are covered with fabric from a dresser scarf that was also fragile and falling apart.

Making the flower vignettes was fun.
Covering and staining the frames was a bit tedious.
The back of each piece has information from a book of flowers with yet another conjured botanical
stitched to that page.

I think this project will segue into the real thing soon...ordering real botanicals and working in the yard.
And so it begins...

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