The Green Lady

I can hardly believe it's been so long since I last posted a photo! I've been incredibly busy... and yes, part of what I've been busy doing is making art. I promise to upload more this week.

A couple of weeks back I agreed to take part in a materials challenge offered by Maria in the Altered Art Europe group. The outcomes will eventually be posted as gallery examples on Maria's craft supplies website. The Green Lady is one of the objects I created sign materials sent to me by Maria.

This is the Green Lady. As you can see, she's another of my matchbox altar dolls. My main focus is this challenge is on objects that use slide frames (big scrapbooking thing at the moment). Of course, I don't normally do scrapbooking or use many scrapbook materials, except when making albums for family and friends, but this IS a challenge... The Green Lady box could easily house a small album, along with the torso doll.

The matchbox is larger than standard. It's 8 x 5,5 x 3 cm, which is a nice size and depth to hold quite a bit of stuff or a bulky gift.

I painted the box gold (acrylic), inside and out, then collaged on a scrap of gorgeous green and gold paisley-patterned mulberry paper. Then I dabbed two shades of green onto the slide frame. Later I stamped on the last of the ink off a stamp. As a result the frame looks marbled. A scrap of bodhi leaf on one side adds interest, too. I attached the paper rose by winding the wire stem around the slide frame. I couldn't be any easier, could it? The ribbon scrap is simply threaded through the loops and tied in a loose knot.

Inside I did the usual torso covered in bodhi leaf then painted gold. The poppy seed head is one of the many I gathered this summer. I wound a little paper covered wire into a spiral and tucked the poppy stem inside. It looks like a sceptre. I also like the contrast between the green as a symbol of growth, the white rose as a symbol of purity and beauty and the dried poppy seed head as a symbol of death (and other altered states of existence) and the promise of renewal.