ASSEMBLAGES IN FRAMES

Here are my latest assemblages using a couple of recycled frames as a shallow box.  The first thing I did was to glue in a back board and primed all sides with gesso.  I then looked at some of my bits and pieces and the frames themselves for ideas.

Recycled frames

Some bits and pieces

My first idea was to pursue one of my favourite themes - doors. The ornate frames seemed to mimic door architraves. I decided I wanted to frame the door with topiary and use a vintage metal bird from my collection. I started painting with chalk paints in pastel colours so that the door took on a mediterranean look and reminded me of being on holiday. Collaged and 3D flowers were added and I used scrabble pieces for the flower boxes and repeated this for the lettering - scrabble being appropriate for a holiday pastime. Distressed gold metal gilding gave the look of faded grandeur.

'Holiday Home' (22.5cms x 19.5cms)

With the second assemblage I took my  two vintage metal trees as my starting point.  I decided I wanted them to be part of a wood.  One of the forests I remember from my childhood was the Hundred Acre Wood where Pooh Bear lived.  I used an illustration of his friend Owl's house, which was embedded in a large tree trunk, from the book Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne, as inspiration.

'Hundred Acre Wood' (22.5cms x 19.5cms)

'Owl lived at The Chestnuts, an old-world residence of great charm, which was grander than anybody else's, or seemed so to Bear, because it had both a knocker and a bell-pull.   Underneath the knocker there was a notice which said: PLES RING IF AN RNSER IS REQIRD.  Underneath the bell-pull there was a notice which said:  PLEZ CNOKE IF AN RNSR IS NOT REQID.'

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