Giverny Gardens Painted on a Bone Basket Box

lid and bottom of bone basket box, image area is 2 inches in diameter

bone basket box

I'll be posting my rose miniature for sale as soon as it's frame arrives.

Meanwhile, however, I am so excited to try this new challenge---painting a miniature of Giverny gardens on this exquisitely carved bone basket box! Some of you know that in 2007 I had the great experience of visiting Monet's Giverny gardens during tulip time in April. I've had a number of miniature paintings in mind to paint from my experience at Giverny.

Here I'm experimenting with the best way to try egg tempera on this smooth bone surface, very like ivory, but when I reached this point above, I realized my medium was not adequately absorbed and secured on the bare surface itself, so I am recording this try and wiping it off in order to apply a hide-glue-based ground on which I can paint with egg tempera more successfully. I may seal it all with liquin upon completion; I may add some oil paint highlights on top. I'd like to try adding gold leaf to the inner rim around box lid too. We'll see. It will take a bit of extra patience, but that is what miniature painting is all about, and I'll post my progress with this tiny landscape as it develops.

"Memory Rose"

"Memory Rose," 1 1/4" diameter, egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum in gold easel frame

(enlarged)

I've test-fitted this into it's frame before signing it, but here is the finished art for "Memory Rose." Once the miniature is signed, I'll also add it to my website.

*Just want to add, thanks so much, everyone, for your lovely comments about the rose mini. I've decided it goes up for direct sale. Since I enjoyed painting it so much I've started another rose, from the other rose bush I planted in memory of Dad, and I hope to post on it soon too.

Rose Miniature

rose miniature in progress 1 1/4" diameter,

egg tempera on Kelmscott vellum

Gold easel frame for rose miniature

Here's the floral miniature I have in progress. For this painting I've pulled out my photo of the very first rose from one of two rose bushes that I planted in my father's memory. This is a "Princess Diana" rose, and it's colors are so delicate, even for a tea rose. It sits on a hand-painted English berry plate that I serve strawberries and creme on when I give a tea party. (Come to think of it, that's another mini I must paint!)

Sometimes I like to plan a mini around a frame I've found, and I have this lovely gold frame that I think will be just perfect for it. I'll post it again when it's further along.