Sunday, January 27, 2013

Trompe l'oeil in Nature....

I attended the annual gem and mineral show this weekend to pick up a few needed items. Remember? I posted on this show last year .


I am still fascinated with the "fake food" tables! There is always a large display of tables set with food, except everything you see is a mineral or gemstone! Nature playing tricks with it's own trompe l'oeil. 


The meat, breads, vegetables and desserts are all works of nature in gem and mineral form. Even the candles are spar calcite!
What better place can you get detailed photos of malachite for future studies?


This one was spectacular. Alternating dark and light bands of green nodules with small amounts of blue azurite , often found forming together near copper deposits.

Malachite has been used for centuries in pigments, makeup and jewelry including Fabergé eggs.

Tony Duquette used malachite often as accents in his decorating with walls  or in textiles as pillows or tablecloths. If you are as fascinated with malachite, I hope you enjoy these reference photos. 

5 comments:

MyFavoriteFrenchAntiques said...

You had me ready to search the gem show calender last year...love your post.

Now, after seeing the "food" display, I must really add this to my schedule.

You find the most fascinating discoveries!

Mark D. Ruffner said...

Dear Theresa - I do love malachite, and I also appreciate your reference shots of it. I wear an azurite ring that most people mistake for lapis lazuli. It is dark blue with slight traces of malachite that show up as bright aqua. I think it would be neat to have a second ring that was primarily malachite with slight traces of azurite!

Pentimento Studio said...

Theresa, love the whimsey/humor of gems as edibles, especially the bread and butter. The malachite is beautiful.

Theresa Cheek said...

Mark-would love to see your ring!

P-glad you enjoyed this

La Dolfina said...

Hi Theresa,
Please please Email/call me when you come to Alameda in March!
I would love to meet up with you and or have you over to my house!
So excited!!!

Xo

Related Posts with Thumbnails