A Matter of Tastes Custom Framing & Art Gallery: June 2014

Hi Everyone!

The weather has been first rate lately. I finally planted my garden and now I'm working on the lawn. I will probably need a tractor mower to get through the thick grass. My push mower has finally decided this is the LAST summer it's working. The frame finally rusted and now the cut grass shoots out the top like some green confetti party popper

I have some new summer neighbours. This family is currently occupying a cozy little spot by my pond, where their young children swim daily, have picnics on the bank and sun themselves. It is so nice when you can get the kids away from the electronics and have some family time. They grow up so fast!

INTERESTING PROJECT
Victorian Era Mourning Brooch

I have to say, I get the most interesting projects! My customer wanted to frame this jet carved mourning brooch.

Victorians felt that wearing ornate jewelry while one was in mourning was distasteful. Instead it became customary to wear simple black mourning jewelry made from many unusual materials such as gutta percha, vulcanite and jet. Jewelry such as the example above became de rigueur to wear when Queen Victoria went into mourning in December 1861 for Prince Albert. Queen Victoria proclaimed that she would only wear 'widow's weeds" for the rest of her life. There was such a level of public sympathy, that most of the middle class followed her into mourning, not only for Prince Albert who died in December 1861, but for their own deceased loved ones. This public devotion to their queen instigated Victorian textile manufacturers to go into overdrive making vast amount of black dyed items. As well mourning jewelry production increased especially by the already popular and well established Whitby Jet Company.

A distinctive shale or 'Jet line' on the cliff face. Photo courtesy of W. Hamond. Jetline

W. Hamond employees recreate a bygone era as they hold part of the World’s largest Whitby Jet gemstone. Photo courtesy of W. Hamond. Holding the large piece of jet

Jet is a lightweight, fragile fossilized black wood from ancient and extinct trees that lends itself to very detailed carvings. Most jet washed up on shore, with the majority of quantities on the shores of Whitby, North Yorkshire. Jet is the most collectable of all the varieties today, but because it is fragility and not many pieces survived over the years except for pieces like earrings, brooches, necklace beads and cameos.

Workers in a shop in Whitby, North Yorkshire carving jet from the shores where layers of shale were a source of fossils and fossilize wood. Workers in Whitby Jet shop

The Whitby mourning brooch, that I had the pleasure of framing, had an un-bloomed rose carved onto it, symbolizing Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's 'love that didn't have a chance to bloom into fruition'.

My customer had a handmade frame he wanted to use (top frame). Unfortunately, the frame was too shallow to accommodate the height of the brooch. I commissioned a carpenter to construct an addition frame (bottom frame) and then the two pieces were merged together. I cut an oval, red suede mat as a background colour, carefully attached the brooch and finished the piece. I am happy to report that customer was pleased and now has it in a place of honor in his collection of antiques.

And for last...

Here are some photos from the last few weeks of May and early June.

These ponies were very happy to see the summer pasture but in different ways. One expressed his joy by running and leaping. The other preferred to just get down to business.

This kitty prefers fresh running water. Now, if I could only get her to turn the tap off when she was done!