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!
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