Thursday 15 August 2013

Baubles, Gee-Gaws and cherubs


John's last post which included a lady wearing a rather interesting hat, put me in mind of last year's Christmas celebrations round at the Bride and Groom's house and the novel use of decorations after a few bevvies. It also ties in rather nicely with Cro's post about giant things, and my comment about 'fun-size' things. We know how to have fun around here, albeit fun-sized fun.

Those scagliola, cherub-painted panels are coming to a satisfactory close, and not a moment too soon. About a year too late to pay the bills, actually, but it's been quite an experience.

Remember how I said I was employing H.I. to put some delicate nuances onto the details of the cherubs because this is what she does for a living? Well that's been an eye-opener as well.

It is very easy to assume that an expert can switch straight from one field to another without suffering the same difficulties as the non-expert. Poor old H.I. has been struggling just as hard as I have, and I have had to breathe over her shoulder on a few occasions to prevent her from using artistic licence on what should be a rather boring facsimile exercise. It feels harsh to forbid her to alter the shape of a hair-style or whatever, because she finds that the shape of the one I created lacks the visual interest which draws most people into one of her own paintings.

Now I think of it, her own paintings are peppered with carefully conceived abstract shapes, hidden amongst the most figurative of compositions, and I have been forced to demand that she remove some of them from my panels after she has snuck them in when my back was turned.

On her first day on the panels, having spent an hour on what I asked her to do for me, it dawned on her what a tall order this project actually is/was. "This is a bloody nightmare," she said.

"Tell me about it," I said.


12 comments:

  1. I can't think of a polite comment for the top picture - but that bottom picture of the cherubs is exquisite - I want it!

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    1. You stand more chance of getting the top picture, Weave.

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  2. Yes, very easy to include a Poodle on a string, or Concorde passing by.

    It's looking great!

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    1. A Concorde would have dated it.

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    2. p.s. I've seen that top picture in Grey's Anatomy; they called it Moby Dick.

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  3. Replies
    1. What of? The Gew-Gaws or the cherubs?

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    2. Christ! How did you manage to get that photo up - briefly?

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  4. Those cherubs have sort of 'come alive'. Great work.

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    1. They are the ones which have had the least restoration - at least I didn't kill them.

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  5. It looks great; the panel that is. As for the Christmas arrangement, I would rather spend the festive season at your house than my mum's by the look of things. Perhaps you should take bookings? I really enjoyed perusing HI's web site by the way.

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    1. Glad you liked her website. Perhaps I could bring a few baubles around to your mum's house this year? Most old people are just glad of a warm drink, in my experience.

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