Scheherazade's Slippers and a Desert Rose

 


I started reading Sir Richard Burton's interpretation of Arabian Nights.  The story of Scheherazade is the first story in the book which inspired this creative piece.  I covered the cardboard shoe forms with three layers of recycled paper and the final layer with cotton fabric, and a smattering of  synthetic gems.  I created the drawing of Scheherazade in 2010.  I etched four  acrylic pillars and covered the bases and tops with chiyogami paper.  I made two domes using recycled paper, covered them with the same fabric as the slippers, and topped them with a magic lantern and a silver flower. The hand-written scroll is an abridged version of Scheherazade's story.  


Scheherazade's slippers, the two domes and the drawing.  


The scroll, the slippers and the drawing. 


The domes, the pillars, the scroll, the slippers and the drawing. 

Materials Used: 
paper, fabric, repurposed map of star formations, metal enameled lantern, silver metal flower, synthetic gems, leather, cotton fabric, etched acrylic, matte board, ink, water colour paint 

Techniques used: 
hand-etched acrylic, hand-written text on vellum paper, papier mache, drawing in ink and water colours, lined the large dome with repurposed map of the star formations

Measurements: 
scroll: closed: 12 x 4 inches/30.5 x 10.1 cm
           open: 51.5 x 8 inches/130.8 x 20.3 cm

pillars (4): 8 x 2 x .5 inches/20.3 x 5.1 x 1.3 cm

slippers: 6 x 3.25 x 2.5 inches/15.2 x 8.3 x 6.4 cm

large dome: 6 x 5 inches/15.2 x 12.7 cm
small dome: 4.5 x 3.5 inches/11.4 x 8.9 cm

drawing: 6 x 3.75 inches/15.2 x 9.5 cm

Desert Rose 

A long time ago I was given a real desert rose.  I kept it on my bureau or in my bedroom window and over time it disintegrated.  This piece was inspired by the song, 'Desert Rose' by Sting and Cheb Mami which was released in 1999 and the memory of my desert rose.  I created this desert rose with recycled paper from my artist book called, 'Desire', and two papier mache bases.  I made a box, for the rose, with windows on two sides and covered it with maps of countries that have large deserts.  The lid has a window with a piece of art glass depicting a flower.  



The desert rose.  I used gold acrylic paint on some of the petals of this rose. 


The map-covered box with a window. 


The lid of the box with the window and piece of art glass.

Measurements: 9 x 6 x 3.5 inches/22.9 x 15.2 x 8.9 cm 

Box: 9.25 x 6.25 x 5 inches/23.5 x 16.5 x 12.7 cm

Materials: 
repurposed paper, acrylic paint, water colours, gloss varnish and ink, matte board, repurposed maps, art glass, chiyogami paper, plastic windows 

Techniques used: 
papier mache, repurposed text, origami, hand-written song lyrics on each piece of paper 

Mary 
bbinder999@gmail.com 














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