Autumn/Winter Art Box by Julie Ann

Welcome to Calico Craft Parts Blog. It's my turn to share a project with you again and I've been thinking about how autumn drifts into winter leaving spring a memory. I used another one of the Calico Cube Storage boxes to explore and express these thoughts and to inspire me as it does its work of keeping my art materials safe. I'm planning to start some new classes in January, so no doubt I'm have plenty of new supplies to find homes for!

I know I've said this many times, but these storage cubes really are so easy to assemble.and with a good quality wood glue they are strong too.

As this box will be storing art materials, I wasn't too concerned to decorate the interior. Next time I plan to show you a box decorated outside and in. This time I assembled and glued the outer and inner boxes and collaged only the front section of the interior box.

I had planned to feature a face, so I gessoed a rough outline of where that would appear on the top of my storage cube.

The front is a combination of gesso, stamping in green pigment ink and collaged napkin tissue.

Here the portrait is beginning to take shape. I used layers of acrylic inks and water-colour pencils, allowing each layer to dry before I applied the next.

I really enjoy combining design papers with stamped images and tinting with a touch of ink.

Carefully dribbling diluted acrylic ink can be very effective too.

With each new layer, the face takes on a little more character. Who is this mysterious winter goddess who dreams of the springtime, now behind her?

She recalls the blackbird's song in the early evening.

This combination of gold paint on the beautiful, delicate Calico thistle and a spattering of melted ultra thick embossing enamel, remind me of decorating for Christmas.

As the owls come out to hunt, the goddess watches the hares bound home over snowy planes.

She remembers long summer evenings when moths danced in the twilight, drawn to the candle flames in tiny cottage windows.

'Where are the songs of spring?'

They are replaced by autumn colours. Every season has its own beauties.

I love how the different textures of the collage show through the paint and inks.

Thank you so much for stopping by today. Happy Creating until we meet again in a fortnight's time.
Calico Craft Parts used in this Project
MDF Cube Storage Box Kit (Large)
MDF Wood Corner Flourish Owlette
Robin MDF Wood Bird Shape
Thistle Flower MDF Shape
Hare Wood Shape Style 3