Mixed media created for the MN Opera’s Opening Gala Silent Auction, September 2011

The MN Opera gave us a pair of opera glasses and the only instruction was to use them in our artwork. My inspiration came from this year’s scheduled performance of Madame Butterfly.

I found a Chinese lacquered panel at Goodwill and painted a Geisha on it with acrylic paint. I painted the glasses with gold and mauve enamel paint and put them behind a fabric mask. I created some butterflies out of feathers and clay and affixed them to the wire that held the mask, glasses and a Japanese fan to the panel. I wrapped everything behind a black net.

The finished product is on the left. On the right, a slightly skewed view of the Geisha before adding the mixed media (sorry – best shot I got of her).