My favorite time of the day is my first cup of coffee in the morning, and I enjoy it even more if I am drinking it from my favorite mug. I got my favorite mug at the Morse Museum (The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of America Art). It is here in Winter Park, FL. It houses the most comprehensive collection of art by Louis Comfort Tiffany.
This mug features a painting by Albert Bierstadt in 1887, When he invited people to his house, he would paint these moths or butterflies and give them to the guests as a remembrance of the day, like a favor. He would paint them right on the spot so the guests could watch. He would put some blobs of paint on the paper, fold the paper in half, and rub a palette knife over the outside of the paper, and voila! a butterfly or moth. Then he would sign them and date them and hand them out.
The handle and inside of my mug are poppy red, which really enhances the color of the moth and is especially cheery in the morning.
I tried to reproduce the moth like Albert did, by folding the paper, but ended up just painting it with acrylics.
Date: Tuesday, May 30, 2023 GMT Views: 258
Favorited:0
Registered: February 23, 2016 Location: El Paso, TX Posts: 23000
Tue, May 30, 2023 @ 2:59 PM
Cool story and so is your moth painting. Would definitely be easier to treat the creation like a Rorschach inkblot for mirror imagery but you did a super job of painting it.
------------------------------ Linda aka Bubbles
I'm not a Hoarder . . . I'm the Curator of an extensive collection of embellishments!!
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Registered: August 15, 2007 Location: Twin Cities MN Posts: 50705
Tue, May 30, 2023 @ 3:45 PM
WOW that's beautiful and very artistic...How cool that he made them on the spot for his guests! I can see why that mug is a treasured part of your morning.
Registered: January 8, 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 40409
Tue, May 30, 2023 @ 8:40 PM
Oh wow, your painted moth is beautiful and so vibrant, Pat! I can see why you would love a mug with this artwork on it. Love reading your details about the history of the artwork, too.
------------------------------ Sue
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Registered: June 4, 2009 Location: Deatsville, Alabama Posts: 83747
Wed, May 31, 2023 @ 2:26 AM
Love how you were inspired by this and love the story of how he gave out painted moths. Fabulous and fun. Favorite mugs are the best. Hugz
------------------------------ Nancy Williams - Hope your day is Spirit-filled and ink-filled (in that order)!DRS Designs-DT, Punchkateerforever, Dirty Dozen Alumni
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Registered: June 3, 2016 Location: France Posts: 60412
Wed, May 31, 2023 @ 4:57 AM
Beautiful and artsy design, happy to read about how you came to this, me too I've got my favorite mugs, one for the morning one for noon and another for the evening, I know I'm a weird lady lol
Registered: February 27, 2007 Location: LaCrosse, Wisconsin Posts: 39770
Wed, May 31, 2023 @ 5:34 AM
How beautiful is this and so 'original', even though it is based on an artist technique. I have tried that technique, it isn't easy, the results are often mixed. Love the story.
------------------------------ Jean Bean the Dancing Queen "You can play a shoestring if you're sincere." -John Coltrane