Had A Little Lamb

Had A Little Lamb

I began this project to have something to do at the October version of Make What Ya Brung at Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, WI. Make What Ya Brung is a group of former students from Valley Ridge Art Studio who maintain their art friendships by gathering twice a year in the Lind Pavilion at Shake Rag to make any kind of art they feel like.

The supplies I gathered for this project included a valve with a glass dome, a frame from a decorative mirror and muskrat belly board stretcher. I hauled this with some other project materials to Mineral Point and then decided that two boards I had bought at the last sale at Hippie Tom's Serendipity Farm would actually work better.

The glass dome from the valve was always the central focus for me. I wanted to try out a paper transfer technique I learned from Keith Lo Bue which requires very old paper so that the paper becomes transparent.

I used a page from The Second Reader which had Mary Had A Little Lamb and thus...my theme.

I texturized the top wood so that it would paint up with ease (a technique I learned from Michael deMeng).  I added a dollie to the bottom wood to create more texture.

Now it became time to put the things together. I painted up the parts for the capture.

After I returned home from MWYB, it was time to assemble. I decided that I would add some collage to brighten up the piece (as taught to me by Andrea Matus deMeng).

I decided I needed to find a lamb, the one that Mary used to have, and that was accomplished by a trip to Michaels.

I had brought a brass angel (probably found at a flea market) and had it with me at MWYB when my friend Cris Smith made me pledge not to use it unless I made a cast first.

This sounded easy until you factor in the fact that I have never made a cast. I had a variety of options but went with a product I had picked up at the Artist and Craftsman Store in Madison, Smooth-On Body Double Silk, which is a two part mix that you pour over the object to create the cast.

The next step was to use the Smooth-Cast Smooth Cast 300 to create the new objects.

After some painting and a few more touches, the pieces was done.

Or, was it?

After looking at the initial photos of the finished project, I decided it needed something to crown the whole piece.

Amongst all the goodies in my basement I found a part of a baking oven to use as a further extension of the theme of "Had" a sheep.

A little bit of highlight painting went on as well.

And, finally, we have Had a Little Lamb.