A Treasure Chest of Shrapnel

If you are an artist, you know that many times you will see something that immediately triggers a work of art. My daughter knows me very well.... for Mother's Day or Christmas and even on my birthday she will come up with the most unusual gifts that she knows I'll love. In this case it was last Christmas when she gave me a little wooden treasure chest (which itself was great) full of what I called shrapnel. It was filled to the brim with dirty/rusty/verdigris/bent and twisted pieces of metal that someone had salvaged from who knows where. The minute I saw what was inside it hit me what I wanted to do with it all.. no question about it and total concept in place.

It's an assemblage called "Legacy"
 
 There's a bit of a sheen in the photograph but the actual piece isn't shiny and has many color washes of blues, greens, rust etc.

Legacy Close-up

The funny part about this project is the vintage baby shoe. I bought the pair about a year ago at a flea market and they were in like new condition. Certainly not acceptable! So I had my husband run over it a few times with his truck, leaving it overnight. Nothing. I left it hanging in a tree for a week. Nothing. I know.. I'll bury it! So I did.. I buried it in the garden for three weeks! Yep...  nothing. That shoe was as white and undamaged as the day it was sold and has to be the finest quality shoe I have ever seen!

So what you see in the picture is purely distress techniques. I have to say that this project was pure fun.. creating rock texture, painting it all different colors and embedding all the juicy shrapnel along with the baby shoe. And if you look closely you will see the tiniest bit of moss behind the shoe. A little ray of hope.

 Thank you Sweetie!  ♥



Best... Canace