Celestial Bottle

Upcycled glass bottle, collaged with pieces of vintage sheet music, angels, papers I found in Florence during my travels, acrylic paints, and beaded embellishments.  This piece has been submitted to an upcoming juried show at The Commonwheel Gallery in Manitou Springs, CO.  In a few weeks I will see if was accepted, sure hope so!  I learned the process from “Bottle Art For The Soul” an instructional DVD purchased from Artful Gathering 2012.  Using a bottle for collaged art is an interesting concept and fairly easy to create.  I enjoyed turning the bottle, looking at each side to make sure the artwork and collage flowed around the piece.  Soft gel matte medium adheres the first layer of white tissue paper to the bottle and after 24 hours of drying time, the rest of the collage elements can be glued with matte gel.  Once dry, acrylic paints highlight the surface, and finally the beads are attached to the top. It takes several days to complete and I suggest collaging several bottles at a time.  The piece looks great displayed on a bookshelf or on a dining room buffet.  This particular design has an old world flair which I love!  I plan to make a few more to sell at the Bemis Instructor Sale in December.