Firework Flowers- A-Peek-a-Boo Project

This is Jon David Lowe for Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts, in the United States many celebrate our Independents Day on July 4th. with large gatherings and many festivities. As an introvert I tend to stay away from the crowded parades and firework celebrations, but they are the inspiration for this artwork- well, sorta...   

1.  Gather Supplies.

2.  Use a Small Plastic Palette Knife to Add Black Embossing Paste and FolkArt Design Cream Gold to GSLC Arabian Triptych Top Frame.

     

3.  Find a Decorative Magazine page to Glue to the Back Portion of GSLC Arabian Triptych Frame.

4.  Use Coarse Sandpaper To Scratch Up Magazine Picture Backgrounds.

5.  Add TH Evergreen Bough Distress Stain to Backgrounds Filling in the Scratches.

6.  Use a Paintbrush to Add a Bit of the TH Evergreen Bough Distress Stain to the Top Frames.

7.  Used Weldbond to Glue Top Portion of GSLC Arabian Triptych Frame to the Back Portion.

8.   Using Polymer Clay and Silicon Molds Make Leaves and Flowers to Add to Prepared GSLC Arabian Triptych Frames.

9.  Add Prepared GSLC Fern Fronds to Background.

10.                Add Polymer Clay Leaves and Flowers to Create an Assemblage  Using Liquid Clay.

11.                Once Satisfied with Content Use Mica Powders to add a Metallic  Luster to the Clay Pieces Using a Soft Makeup Brush.

12.                Bake in Polymer Clay Oven until Fully Cured.

13.                Add Additional Colors to Assemblages Using a Variety of Acrylic Paints.

14.                Use Glossy Accent Finish to Make the Flowers Appear to Be Bursting out of The Frame.

15.                To Give the Assemblages a Scorched Appearance  Using Dry Bush Technique Using a Fan Paintbrush and Van Dyke Brown Hue Acrylic Paint.

16.                To Make the Assemblage Glisten Like Fireworks I Added Craftsmart Glitter Glue.

         

Some Final Thoughts.

The Final GSLC Arabian Triptych Assemblages are as crowded as a Fourth Of July parade and bursting with colors like fireworks in The summertime sky.  Many flowers do not flourish in the dry summer heat but there are those that only bloom after a forest fire. I was surprised to learn of this watching the news after some of the devastating fires had ravished millions of acres in a single year, around 40% of that being in California.

     One of these fire flowers or more aptly names "fire followers" is the fire poppy. These plants like extreme pressure forms diamonds, hot summer fires pressurize these seed that may lie dormant for years until these unique circumstances awaken their long forgotten beauty. There are others like Lodgepole Pin, the tree itself often dies but the extreme heat allows the resin that sealed the thick scaled cones together melts releasing the seeds that have been held there for years.

 Mountain Mallow, appears in great numbers after a burn, their thick seed coats crack, like fireworks bursting allowing the seeds to absorb water and sprout. Many of these seeds have lain buried for decades in the soil waiting for their "Fourth of July Parade"

 White Snow Brush and White Spiraea blossoms appears in profusion like sparklers at a backyard summer picnic on their independence day, some emerging from old roots after a light fire while others after a heavy burn, sprout from "Rib-van-Winkle" seeds. Flowers blooming almost a century ago produced seeds that have been lying in wait until heat and sun simulated them to germinate.

 Pinegrass goes normally unnoticed, much like the town twirlers who emerge out of the woodwork now leading the parade procession down Main Street. After a forest fire Pinegrass shoots up two to three feet of delicate flowers waving in the wind like the grand ole glory on all of our front porches in July.

 Just like fireworks get their colorful array from chemical explosions so do these fire followers burst forth in a variety of shades as bright as the spectacular bright uniforms of the bands marching in time to the beat of the banging drums. Fireweeds in pinks, Broadleaf Arnica in yellow, and Thickstem Aster in lavender and purple.  A field full of these fascinating fire flowers appear like a family trying to fit on a tiny blanket looking into the night sky enjoying this summer holiday in the United States.

 Family and Friends gather during these holidays of celebrations remembering a  year that for some may have felt like they came through a wild fire of sorts and try to find the good of the day, to find brightness in the gloom, to be thankful for another day to go forth and find the sunrises that wait for them much like Frances Clark, the writer of the article, "What Bloom in Wildfire Burns"   where I found most of this information. Take a look at the bright and beautiful photographs there.

 Happy Independence Day no matter where you dwell...Celebrate Your Emergence!! 

 Supplies:  GSLC Arabian Triptych, GSLC Fern Fronds, Black Embossing Paste, Small Plastic Palette Knife, FolkArt Design Cream Gold, Magazine Page, Weldbond, Sandpaper,  TH Evergreen Bough Distress Stain, Paintbrush, Polymer Clay, Silicon Molds, Liquid Clay, Mica Powders, Makeup Brush,  Polymer Clay Oven, Acrylic Paints, Glossy Accent Finish, Van Dyke Brown Hue Acrylic Paint, Fan Paintbrush, Craftsmart Glitter Glue

I cannot wait to see your interpretation of this project. Share it on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Craft Group Page on Facebook. I would love to see what new creations you are working on!