I’ve painted and etched several customised name panels for customers, but this piece was so full of special details that I also wrote a story about it.
As it’s a commissioned piece my client was able to choose the glass colour, so it was painted on light pink Sea glass. She then sent me a detailed list of animals her granddaughter loved and experiences that were special. So I knew Keira loved being outdoors with her collection of soft toy rabbits. In the garden where she played there was a wide selection of wildlife, which she enjoyed- particularly the butterflies, ladybirds and birds. Recently she had been interested in bears, so the gentle bear came to live in the panel. Last summer the family had caterpillars that they watched grow and eventually turn into butterflies. Keira released the butterflies into the garden and they kept coming back and landing on her which she thought was amazing.
When I start a commission, I produce a design sketch for the client, which can take hours to work out to include all the elements and create a design which works.
Once this has been agreed, I begin painting using professional quality glass paint, etching detail as I work. I discovered I could produce etched detail after experimenting with glass paints. In the past I produced etching plates for illustrations, which is where I learnt to etch finely, but since discovering the most amazing colours and textures in hand made glass, I prefer to use the magical qualities of glass in the pieces I create.
The shy deer comes to live in the wood....
I send photos of the work in progress, so the client can see how their ideas are visualised...although some clients prefer not to receive updates, so the finished piece is a surprise!
...joined by the gentle bear!
Painting and etching usually takes several sessions and this piece has lots of fine detail to include, butterflies wings and antennae are tricky to create! Once that’s completed, the etched surface needs three or four days to cure completely and it can then be copper foiled around the edges and the copper hangers can be attached
The short story about the woodland where these creatures live grew into being as I worked on the panel. I included it with the finished piece, so that Keira would have not only a unique piece of art, but also an original Tanglewood Tale which will first be read to her, then she will read for herself...and maybe this will inspire her to create her own ideas for adventures within the magical woodland, as she grows up. I hope this adds something even more special to owning a piece of my work.
The Tanglewood Tale
of
Keira’s Magical Woodland
Deep in the wild wood there was a beautiful glade of trees, which held magic for all the creatures who lived there. The glade was always full of sunlight, many ferns and wildflowers grew there and colourful butterflies danced in the gentle breeze. In the centre of the glade was a very special tree with a name growing amongst the tangled branches ‘Keira’ and this is what gave this area it’s magical protection. A shy deer, with huge dark eyes and the most delicate legs, was often to be found there. She wandered far across the woods, but always returned to the enchanted clearing to visit her friend, the gentle brown bear. He was always to be found next to his favourite tree, often scratching or sharpening his claws. Although he was a kind creature at heart, his claws were always sharp, just in case...
These two loved and cared for all the tiny creatures who inhabited the glade. There was a family of rabbits who lived in the sheltering roots of the trees and loved to creep out at twilight and dawn to feed and play. The chicken, who made her home there with her tiny chicks, spent all day foraging for beetles and worms, but at night slept safely under one of the trees. The deer and the bear kept watch over them all and made sure they were safe, even the robin who made his moss filled nest in the branches.
If ever anyone was lost in the wild wood, the magic of the tree would eventually lead them to Keira’s magical woodland and the creatures who lived there would protect them and lead them to safety.
#tanglewoodtales #stainedglass #magicalwoodland #deer #bear #handpainted #nature #outdoorlearning #forestschools
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