So I decided to make this grungy, shabby chic, 8x8 reverse canvas shadowbox. In all honesty, I was not sure where I was going theme" Unlocking Your Dreams". I wanted to portray a caged lock, symbolizing your dreams, hence, the wire wrapped around the canvas and lock. The caged lock symbolizes our dreams held in bondage by our fears. It’s like a metaphor within a metaphor. The idea is that we need to break from ourselves, unlock our dreams and just go for it. I had made it months ago and decided that I hated it. So I put in some dark corner amongst my art rejects…you know, out of sight out of mind. One day I was straightening things out and came across it and decided that I like it after all. I tweaked a couple of small things and took it out of hiding.
How it’s made
I started out by decoupaging the backside of the canvas with book paper in order to cover the staples holding the canvas. I then painted it with white Gesso. My plan was to wrap the canvas with the wire, giving the cage look. But before doing that I had to work on the center area. I used embossed scrapbooking paper to line the center opening, and painted using Lindy’s Gang Stamp Shimmer spray paint. I wanted a soft, fancy center to contrast the metal lock. I then glued the lock to the center using strong glue, E-6000 glue brand. I then wrapped the canvas with 24 gauge copper wire and decoupaged the entire canvas, back and front. I used purchased imported handmade paper that had string embedded in the paper fibers. I felt that it gave the piece a caged look. The paper is white, and spray painted using Lindy's Gang Stamp Teal Shimmer Spray Paint; Tibentan Teal, Time Traveler Green, and Don't Eat Golden Snow. Once it was dried, I used Tim Holtz Pearls Spray Paint.
About the embellishments; I sprayed painted with silver paint a Suzan Lenart Kazmer lock. The compass and mini note book are also from Susan Lenart Kazmer. The gears, arrows, key and mini fountain pens are from Tim Holtz. All which have been painted with Gesso, brown, teal acrylic paints and bronze pearls. The butterfly is from Fab Scraps; it’s made out of metal and has been painted with Gesso and purple, white acrylic paint. The flowers are paper Prima flowers. The letters is made of chipbooard from Dusty Attic, which was painted with Gesso and Martha Stewart bronze paint. The canvas and embellishments have been sealed with Modge Podge Spray Acrylic Seal.
I hope you enjoyed my little reverse canvas shadowbox piece.
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