Fowl Most Fabulous

It's hard to contain my excitement and my passion for gold leaf.  A centuries old technique of applying very thin sheets of metal, typically gold, onto a limitless number of objects.  Mostly seen on furniture, gold leaf can be applied to practically anything.  I absolutely loved the idea of creating a festive Thanksgiving table full to the brim with gilded turkeys.  Not to be misguided by false idols, gold leaf (I use an inexpensive metal alloy and not real gold) does achieve the 'Gilded Age' affect I'm looking for.  My newly appreciated craft has definitely affected my art and I hope to share the results in the future.

Mark Twain is actually credited for coining up the term 'The Gilded Age' in a derogatory manner against the turn-of-the-(20th)-century robber barons, like Henry Clay Frick.  Fast wealth and very quick accumulation of expensive homes and furnishings reflected the superficial nature of the nouveau riche.  Gold leaf being a surface treatment to furniture, as opposed to solid gold pieces.  So metaphorically, 'gilded' is not always a golden remark.
 
To me, gold leafing paintings and mixed media projects open up a world of interpretation, meaning, and context.  This week I'd like to share my very first project with gold leaf, which was gilding a succulent turkey, just in time for that special November Thursday.  Below are some pictures of the transformation from bland bird to avian triumph.  Stay tuned for more fancy gold leaf entries to come!

Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Table

Animal World - Resin Turkey