Introducing some very exotic Ingredients on our Artwork:

Dried Food Stuff

Black & White Butterfly made of Iris Flakes and Delica Beads and

and three very strange flowers or fruits
lacquered pumpkin flower over pumpkin stems	dyed corn kernels over evergreen hair roots	spray painted thinly sliced eggplant rolls

and wait, there are more:

dried mango seeds as the large flower petals
 

lemon slices, onion peel,  french potatoes and corn kernels, kalabasa stems,
carrots slices and more make beautiful faux corals
 

this amazing Japanese delica beaded  reptile hides
behind a facade of dried foodstuffs and even sliver of real fish gill.
This turned out to be a very realistic portrayal of an underground cave.
 

Also delica beaded goldfish by same artisan floats in
aquarium scenery with real driftwoods (and dried foodstuffs)
in skillfully and delicately painted shaded blue background 

Here's a collection of more of those dried foodstuff that are actually almost three years old as pf when we used them for above. I am not actually sure how long it will last on the artwork, but my guess is since we lamintaed them and eveen painted over some of them - it will last a long time say over 20 years? Now artwok usually increases value the older they get, (and specialy when the artist dies) I recommend that our technical staff (whwen we start hiring theem) find a standard and sure fire way to preserve these materials.  After all plant materials are the most diverse source of unique textures an artist can find.  Just look at what I've collected from our own kitchen in a couple of months. 

And to think we started the collection to make jewelry pieces. Then the jewelry industry tanked.
Good thing we found a beautiful use for these in Iris Mosaic Lines Oh well, if the idea is to recycle throwaway food, I guess it is just as good, maybe even better to use then on bigger items that can be appreciated by all than teeny weeny jewelry pieces.

So theae are stuff I also worked on back home in New Jersey.  I call these pendnats because that was originally what I had intended them for. For jewelry.  Vic and Red thankfully found use for them on the paintings above plus others.  And I think to myself - for a business model what not have artisans make these for art supply companies abroad.  That is when accenting paintings with these stuff become widely accepted. 

 

These also came in the pile. I call these pendnats because that was originally what I had intended them for. For jewelry. But since the jewelry market is in the doldrums - I trhough they'd be better put to use in wall decors - ie 3d painting. Now you know why it is no longer exclusively iris that we are working on.