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Conservatory Ceiling in Progress: June/July 2008
This month's biggest project is a master bedroom ceiling in a lovely Moorestown, NJ home with designer Arnie Liguori. The clients had seen the "Breakfast Room Ceiling" from the projects page and asked for something with a similar flavor. The shape of the tray ceiling with arch moulding was almost the same as in the prior work painted over 8 years before. My job was to design something a bit different architecturally. At this writing I am about half way through the process with rendering of the architectural elements underway.
(Update July 18) I have been back from Maine for 4 days and have resumed work on this ceiling. The architecture is nearly complete and the blocking in and rendering of many of the florals has begun. Kirsten Doyle is assisting with the rendering of the architectural details. This morning I sketched the owner's Westie pup named Bentley (God rest his soul) and tomorrow will add him to the north wall which has been rendered with trompe l'oeil diamond panels across the lower portion.
(Update July 23) Bentley has been painted but I may still tweek him a bit. I have started painting Clematis on the west wall. Flowers and vines continue to be detailed and modified. I can see the light at the end.
(Update 7-27) Yesterday on Saturday I finally have the painting in order. I may tweek just a couple things early tomorrow morning before I am joined by Bob Batt to overglaze the entire ceiling. I plan to use a flat acrylic glaze in a raw umber-yellow oxide mix to take the freshness out of the image so it merges better with the furnishings in the room. Arnie (the designer) was in on Friday and approved everything. (He did make a couple small suggestions which have been done.) Antiqued 23 kt. gold leaf will be added to the upper part of the crown moulding.
Update August 8: We finished this job on July 30 and I have been so busy with the next two jobs I am just now getting a few final pictures posted here. I have not been back yet to see the fully decorated room and photograph it. When I do so I will post those. Bob Batt and I had a fun (!?!) time antiquing the whole thing and these pictures are the first to show the effect.
