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. 

Gem & Mineral Show..

I had the chance to run by a Gem and Mineral show today that was in town for the weekend.

There is always so much inspiration at these shows and I always have a list of things I need to pick up...

I grabbed some mica for an upcoming art project...the mica pulls apart in thin sheets and has a metallic sheen.

And some optical calcite!!! What a score! I use them for display bases for small architectural fragments or other oddities I have. (Got the idea from a Veranda magazine where one was used for a place card holder)

Here is the picture from Veranda where a calcite crystal is used for decoration.

Ok, back to the show. I always take reference shots of minerals for use in faux work.

Look at the banding of the malachite! Great reference for some trompe work.

Even the smallest specimens were not to be overlooked.

The best part of the show was a table they had set up for a large meal..every food item was a mineral or  gemstone!

There were loaves of rustic bread, cured hams, baked potatoes and pie!

Ended the day with a few pieces of mille fiori glass. I am a sucker for their intricate designs. Hope your weekend was full of fun and art!!