Sweet Shadowbox Project by Guest Artist Cat Kerr

Cat Kerr has a very special way of breathing artistic life into materials, whether it be fabric, metal, or wood. I fell in love with her little “Ladies-in-Waiting,” which were featured on the cover of our last issue of  Somerset Studio Gallery. Her eye for detail and the end product of her creative endeavors is what led me to ask her to join us on the blog as a guest artist. After reaching out, she kindly accepted our invitation to write a blog post and create a unique project with detailed step-by-step directions.

Now, without further ado, please join me in welcoming Cat Kerr to Somerset Place.

~*~

These charming little shadowbox assemblages were inspired by my current feature in Somerset Studio Gallery called “I See You”. The problem however, was that once I started making them…I couldn’t seem to stop. As in the article, these cardboard boxes can be filled with Paper Whimsy Token Alterables, but since then I’ve filled them with all sorts of goodies like family photos, and memorabilia. Today I’m filling them with beautiful vintage images and sweet sparkly wings.

Sweet Shadowbox Material List:

• Telephone Book Paper
• Premade 6” x 4” Cardboard box (any box will work, just make sure your Eye Token fits in the center)
• Modge Podge/Tacky glue/Glue Stick
• Gesso
• Golden Brand-Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold
• Punchinella Stencil
• Hole Punch
• Blackened Steel Wire
• Rub-Ons Stickers
• Wire Cutter
• Round Pliers
• Assorted Acrylic Paint including Black
• Colored Burlap (comes in 12 x 12” sheets)
• Scissors
• Crochet Trim
• Images and Wood Wing Alterables
• Flat back crystal
• Tool Tulle
• Findings for the bottom of the box (fabric scraps, seed beads, Tim Holtz Film strip, muslin scraps, flowers, coconut fibers)
• Glitter

 

Cat Kerr’s Sweet Shadowbox Tutorial

Step 1 – Cut strips of telephone book paper.

Step 2 – Add some glue in desired locations of the cardboard box (or Chipboard Shrine), place your strip and add an additional layer of glue on top of the telephone strip paper and let dry.

Step 3 – Add gesso to the outside and inside of the box. You want to be able to see the telephone text so when going over the strips of paper, apply a thin coat of gesso and let dry. Add a layer of Nickel Azo Gold. This is a very strong color so I like to water it down, therefore creating a wash. Next add a final color in assorted areas to the inside of the box ( I used a Tiffany blue). Lastly, use the Punchinella Stencil and a stencil brush to add the design in random areas.

Step 4 – Add some contrast with black rub-on stickers. Also, splatter a watered-down black paint in random locations using an old toothbrush and let dry.

Step 5 – Cut a piece of colored burlap, crochet trim, and a piece of ivory tulle fabric slightly larger than the box. Add some  glue to the base and stick them to the inside of the box.

Step 6 –  Punch two small holes on top of the box. Cut an 8” piece of black steel wire. Using round pliers, create a loop on one end and feed it through the inside part of the box. The loop will keep the wire from coming out. Feed the other end of the wire through the other hole. Once through, create another loop on the end

Step 7 – Cut out desired image and sticker words. I added a bit of Nickel Azo Gold to the stickers and then mounted them on to black cardstock.

Step 8 – Add Modge Podge to the wings, and cover in glitter, and let dry. I used two layers of glitter.

Step 9 – Decide on the placement of your image. Next, glue small wood blocks to the inside of the box. This helps to give your image dimension. I used old wood domino pieces.

Step 10 – Glue the wings, image, and sticker words. Then add scraps of fabric to the bottom as well as assorted findings like book text, flowers, buttons and seed beads.

Step 11 – Finish off with flat back crystal on her dress.

More about Cat Kerr:

Cat Kerr is a Mixed Media Artist/Instructor that lives in Central Florida with her husband and two kids. Her work has been featured in numerous Stampington publications such as Belle Armoire Jewelry, Somerset Studio and Sew Somerset. She currently teaches online and at retreats around the country. To see more of her work, online shops, and teaching schedule, you can visit her at http://www.catkerr.com

Can’t Get Your Fill of Mixed-Media Inspiration?

Celebrate a 15-year milestone with this fabulous issue of Somerset Studio Gallery. Brimming with inspiration in 200 lush pages, you’ll see Deborah Company’s mosaic house collages, Michelle E. Black’s beach-themed image transfers, and Cat Kerr’s unique “Ladies-in-Waiting” as featured on the cover.