Inspired Practical Fun

As much as I enjoy painting on canvas and other surfaces, I also enjoy painting on surfaces that can serve a more practical purpose. I have painted small gift boxes, glass ornaments and purses on paintable fabric. All have been great fun but when I started painting trays, the real fun began. The blank trays are easy to purchase and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Hobby Lobby is a good source, better than Michael’s and they can be ordered on line. The smallest trays can be terrific hostess gifts because they are tiny enough to not force display and can be used to store keys, jewelry and other items. I find them a welcome change from the usual bouquet or bottle of wine.

I have created my designs from my imagination, especially designs for holiday trays; recently however, I have used the works of other artists as my inspiration. The following tray was one of my originals and was gifted to a dear friend who uses it everyday at breakfast. She told me she thinks fondly of me every time she uses it.

 

12″ round

Mixed Medium

Holiday trays can be fun, especially because they can be as “off-the-wall” as you would like. I created the following trays for Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

 

12″ square and 12″ round

Pebeo Medium

Probably the most useful as gifts are the very small trays. Below are some examples:

 

 

3.5″ x 6.5″ rectangle

Pebeo Medium

3.5″ x 6.5″

Pebeo Medium

 

Using the works of other artists proved to be extremely satisfying and I was thrilled with the results.  The following two were inspired by Mondrian and by Klimt’s Stoclet Frieze.

12″ square

Mixed Medium

 

12″ round

Pebeo Medium

The trays are created using two different mediums. When using acrylic, resin must be applied to protect the surface for practical use. Application must be precise, blending resin and resin hardener. When using medium from Pebeo, a French company, the paints will harden and need no resin. Pebeo paints move and interact to create some surprising designs.

 

 

8″ x 10″ rectangle

Pebeo Medium

 

Other times, using great care, the Pebeo can be used precisely to create representational images. The following is a Burano, Italy canal scene.

 

10″ x 8″ rectangle

Acrylic base and Pebeo Medium

 

I would encourage all artists to experiment as I have and to play…play…play…