Some years ago, friends, I entered an art show. The theme included using a cigar box or boxes. A friend gave me the box, and I knew exactly what I wanted to make ~ A secret garden, if you will, featuring one of my love prayers and dialogues.
The door design was a Moroccan inspiration. I drew the design onto the wood, and hand carved it. Then I stained the door, and roughed the edges a bit to age it. I found a screw-on picture hanger that worked perfectly for the door’s handle.
Both sides of the box were covered with some stones that I stained by hand to match the door. I glued them on, then cemented around them. These represent a wall.
Shall we enter?
As we enter in, we see the love prayer nailed to the door. I hand wrote the prayer, then stained the paper, wet the edges and rolled them to age it.
The prayer is read as we enter in.
I used some fabric and netting that I had purchased at a garage sale once. I knew they would come in handy one day. The orchid represents the flower of faith. I made it out of porcelain, and my former ceramics professor was kind enough to lend me the clay and fire it for me.
Behind the beaded veil are the five ‘weeds’ of doubt…worry, fear, unbelief, hopelessness, and trials – written in gold on a round mirror. The shot gun shell has a twofold representation…the violent emotion we put ourselves through with our doubts, as well as representing how faith can come from ‘violent’ effort.
Behind the shear side curtains there are garden images of statues and a garden pillar and ball, with some ivy growing along side. I don’t remember anymore the many hours of hard work put into preparation and creating this piece, but I do remember enjoying every minute..except for when I had some trouble getting the door on. That took some ingenuity and patience.
I hope you enjoyed your visit into my garden. I’m glad you came by to visit me here on Leisure Lane.
Until next time, may happy days abound!
Marianne
