Creative Paperclay® Lover's Eye Mini-Shrine

My friends call me a mad art scientist because I love to experiment. In this case, I am using a Creative Paperclay® element as a Lover's Eye inside a cigar box that has been laser cut and etched then embellished. The embellished clay eye becomes the "sweet" spot in this piece of art.

SUPPLY LIST

Creative Paperclay®
Acrylic Paint
Alcohol Inks
Silicone Molds
Cigar Box
Metal Leaf
Pearls & Rhinestones
Glass Eye

 The Creative Paperclay® flower was dry brushed with a Titan Buff acrylic paint after a wash of Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold acrylic paint had dried. A glass eyeball was glued to the center then vintage pearls were glued around it.

The inspiration for this project was Lover's Eyes. In the 18th and 19th centuries, wealthy British and European lovers exchanged "eye miniatures" -- love tokens so clandestine that even now, in the majority of cases, it is impossible to identify their recipients or the people they depict.

Next I took a cigar box to the local makers space ( a makers space is a shared workshop and artist/artisan community.) These spaces throughout the country allow you to use 3D printers and laser cutters/etchers as well as many other techno tools. Often local junior colleges have these as well.

Before taking it in, I applied metal leaf to the box, sanded it and then worked out the design I planned to etch into it.

I laser cut the hole in the center and etched the floral design into the metal leaf box. I painted the etched flowers with alcohol inks then added the rhinestones and crosses. The inside of the box was painted black.
















I added my Creative Paperclay® eye by building up a backing to it and gluing it to the back of the box so the eye floated in the hole. A circle of rhinestones was added before I placed it in place.


Have fun. Dream in Color.

Darlene Olivia McElroy