Bumble Bee Cold Bronze Wall Plaque
By Jeanne Dana Studios
Each piece is signed and dated with the year of production.
Approx 6.5×6.5″
With the growth of the internet came a steady decline in the use of greeting cards. Always innovating, Jeanne Dana began to create cast paper sculptures and paper mache art from their old greeting card scraps. Plaster was added to the paper castings to make them more durable, and they started incorporating novel coloring and waterproofing techniques. These experimental designs were the foundation of their new company, PaperAndStone. Some of their early designs are still in use today. Over the years they have replaced paper with more advanced, natural materials that allow the pieces to last for hundreds of years. In the 21st century, Jeanne Dana’s art has become more architectural, being further influenced by more contemporary designs.
Each design is hand sculpted in our clay studio. Our styling is best described as decorative, early/ancient European on contemporary themes. The finished design is made into a master mold from plaster. The master is then used to make reinforced latex production molds. Every piece is cast by hand using a proprietary blend of hydro cal, plaster, and fortifying agents for producing a piece of art that is both strong and lightweight. The castings are then hand-shaped with angle grinders, files, and sandpaper so that each piece has its unique form. Once shaped, the casting is then primed with a cold bronze coating before being colored with gold leaf, metal fibers, acid dyes, patinas, and an acid wash. Each piece is painted by hand, and no two pieces are alike due to the natural chemical processes. The finished art piece is sealed with a UV and waterproof coating to preserve the colors and protect it from the elements.
“Bee totem is an ally for gardeners and farmers. Bees are essential for life on this planet; all plant life relies on bees for pollination, which is necessary for the fertilization of plants and reproduction. When Bee appears in your life, it is time to cultivate concepts or projects through action. Do what needs to be done, and make things happen. It’s time to be productive!
Call on the energy of Bee if you are trying to get pregnant or come up with a new idea. Align with the energy of Bee when you are working toward reproducing or producing a fruitful outcome. Bee is especially helpful when you need to put energy into ensuring that everyone is responsibly doing his/her part in a larger project.”
excerpt from Margaret Ann Lembo‘s Animal Totems
