Monet's Paint Box

Here's my entry for Somerset Studios' latest challenge "The Impressionists". I call it Monet's Paint Box. I was lucky enough to find - and win! - a vintage metal paint box on ebay. I splattered and dripped several colours of acrylic craft paint on all the surfaces.

Then I delved into my cigar box stash - the one labeled Art Stuff - and found old brushes, really old tubes of paint, palette knives, etc. I attached these in their various compartments using E-6000. I printed out several Monet paintings and then collaged them to canvas board using matte medium. On the fold out flaps of the box I adhered stickers of Monet's paintings and dabbed acrylic around the edges.

Viola! You can almost see the ripples on the pond and hear the late spring breeze as it kisses the wisteria on the Japanese bridge. The paint box silently waits for the master to return from his midday meal in the Giverny dining room, to pick up a brush and capture the afternoon light on the water lilies.