Saturday 6 October 2007

Trompe d'Oeil

A couple of blocks away, there is an old wooden shed with double doors that has been painted up with a Trompe d'Oeil design that I had often admired, so we biked over there to take a pic, and this is what we found.....

Susan, the artist, paint scraper in hand, had decided that the five years that her design had graced the doors was long enough, and it was time for a facelift.

I decided to record what was left... the topiary bushes either side of the doors....


... and the black and white guard kitty that kept watch through the seasons.
Why did she choose that particular day to scrape the doors?
Why did I choose that particular day to take the photo?
I think it was serendipity..... after talking to Susan for a while, I discovered that she makes and decorates wedding cakes, and I have been desperately looking for someone to ice the cakes for The Wedding, so a deal was struck, and I'm taking the cakes to her next week!

Perfect timing.
Susan has finished transforming the shed, here it is today with it's new look.
and a detail of the garden planter boxes.

I miss that black and white kitty.
Which design do you like best?

29 comments:

  1. Fate had a hand in this! Imagine going there on that very day and finding that she decorates wedding cakes!

    I vote for the topiaries and the cat. Perhaps she'll add something after it "sits" with her for a while.

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  2. Oh! I agree, you was meant to go there that day for all the right reasons.
    I liked the cat best, it reminded me of our hall and stairs, when the lads were younger we decided to paint a forest all the way up the stairs, it had monkeys, insects, snake, elephant, rhino, girafe, spider on it wed, and the ceiling was all vine and ivy leaves. It took over two weeks to finish and folk would drop by with their children to see the jungle. I have a few pictures somewhere I might see if I can dig them out.

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  3. Wekll this one is so clean and just finished so it looks all fresh....(Maybe you could convince her to put another kitty in this one!) I like those big decorative pots a lot!
    It is amazing that you decided on that day and that she did too---You might never have found out she decorates cakes! Perfect Serendipity, I'd say.

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  4. I liked both, but more than that, I admire that she has what it takes to cover one of her former paintings with another. I was never able to do that, even though I wasn't much of an artist.

    It is difficult for me to see art covered up or erased. Even Susan's. But that may just be immaturity on my part.

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  5. Very, very interesting. I am in the process of trying to decide what to do a bout a garden shed.

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  6. I like both, though the cat was very cute. BTW, that's two-dimensional painting, not trompe l'œil.

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  7. very happy story, nice and decorative

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  8. Serendipity. Synchronicity. Oh how I love it, Ex-S. Those things always happen for a reason and we need to trust the Instinct.

    I like BOTH doors and wonder what she'll paint next 5 years from now. But maybe you could convince her to add the kitty to this one...and the next one...and keep it as the one constant.

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  9. Just great! I love all them, but I preferred the detail of the garden planter boxes. Very creative!

    Thanks for your nice comment on my blog! Have a good Sunday!

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  10. The cat is beautiful! I had a Birthday back on the 29th, I'm 28! Thanks for the note, I'm in Canada again and loving it, thinking about making it a more permanent thing actually, we'll see!

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  11. Serendipitous indeed! Something to cross off of your list of to-dos!
    I've been trying to get up the nerve to try a little trompe l'oeil on the wall at the end of my kitchen. I love the shed and am glad you got a bit of the before;)

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  12. That is lovely. Either the old or the new would suit me. I never thought about using that outdoors but now I wonder why.

    Nice thought to photograph it.

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  13. I would miss that kitty too!

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  14. Thank you for visiting my blog! I like the black and white kitty the best.

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  15. Oh I am a sucker for kitties..

    What a wonderful chance meeting.

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  16. What a "coincience". An how fortunate for you. Cakes and new pictures. I like the fresh new look and the red doors. A new kitty would just finish off the picture.

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  17. Isn't it spooky when things like this happen? I like the kitty picture better.

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  18. Hi,I'm gonna be different and say I liked a bit of both, the centre door now but the kitty or any animal instead of the pots, sorry.

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  19. I like the fact that she is so creative and think that anything she paints would be appreciated.

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  20. I'm very glad you took a picture of that shed its excellent. Thanks for popping by my blog

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  21. Definitely serendipity - I love that word! Topiary I think, although the troughs of flowers look good, too!

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  22. I like the kitty but I also think it looks nice with the new paint.

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  23. I've known Suzie for a million years and I must confess I am one of her biggest fans....I always love everything she creates. She is truly an artist and her talent and passion shine through everything she tackles
    Loads of Love Deb

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  24. yes, i like the topiary and cat version better. What a great idea, looks lovely.

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  25. How lucky where you!! I prefer the one she painted over!!!

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  26. Hey what a neat idea, i too will have to go with the cat, being a cat lover, but all looks good

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  27. Wow! I like that shed, what a clever lady!

    Funny how life works out and the meeting enabled you to get your cake done.

    Have a good weekend!

    M

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