House of Green Gables...

Home is where the Heart and the Art is. For years, JP and I have been building and designing our front addition vestibule to mark a warm and inviting entrance to our home. Local passersby and neighbors alike have been watching the slow transformation with kind anticipation. We too are excited to make discernible progress, but as artists, we also take our time. Decisions often morph and evolve as our perspectives change, and with an artist's budget, development happens in steps and in between show seasons. After much contemplation, we have determined a medium and a design for the front gable! Rough sketches and renderings for this triangular front facade started with traditional shingles, to scallops to custom sun rays and bursts of waving patterns, all cut from wood. However, with some persuasion, JP enticed me to bring my indoor art to the exterior. With a few sculpted papier mache artscapes and a large fire screen under my belt, I have decided to take my technique to the peak, or in this case, to the front gable! That said, a ply board backer has been positioned, allowing me to sketch in place, my scrolling pattern of woody vines, blossoms and birds. And, of course, neighbors are already intrigued. Next, we take the boards down, and then I will begin applying the necessary layers to build my dimensional artscape. This will be a summer project as the heat of the sun will be my means of drying this large sculpt. Wish me luck as I will be juggling this project with all my other creative to-dos. For those of you who have been itching to see what's next, here's a sneak peek....

I will post photos of the finished composition when more of the elements are in place. As always, thank you for your patience and your support. We look forward to sharing more of our artistry, from the inside, out!

Happy Summer,
~ Johanna  & JP



* That's me in my owl apron, perching on our front scaffolding!



* No projector needed... I decided to just eyeball the layout from my printed rendering.



* I'm not a fan of heights, but the extra ladder made me feel more steady. Safety first ~ Thank you JP!



* Use your imagination here... There are a few elements that eventually will manifest!



* I'm reinforcing my rough sketch with more confident pencil lines.



* Looks like I'm about ready to call it a night!  :)



* Here's a snapshot rough of my graphic rendering over a photo to help us visualize the final look! The color palette consists of an aged turquoise with a vintage pistachio muted blend. The architectural vines will have a dimensional woody texture.

* And for reference, here's a peek at the "BEFORE".....

* Peek-a-Boo!