Hummingbird Cold Bronze Wall Plaque

By Jeanne Dana Studios Each piece is signed and dated with the year of production. Approx 8 x 8"  With the growth of the internet came a steady decline in the use of greeting cards. Always innovating, Jeanne Dana began to create cast paper sculptures and papier-mache art from their old greeting card scraps. Plaster was added to the paper castings to make them more durable, and they began incorporating novel coloring and waterproofing techniques. These experimental designs were the foundation of their new company, PaperAndStone. Some of their early designs are still in use today.  Over the years, they have replaced paper with more advanced, natural materials that allow the pieces to last for hundreds of years. In the 21st century, Jeanne Dana’s art has become more architectural, further influenced by contemporary design. Each design is hand-sculpted in our clay studio. Our styling is best described as decorative, early/ancient European, and contemporary. The finished design is made into a master mold from plaster. The master is then used to make reinforced latex production molds. Every piece is cast by hand using a proprietary blend of hydrocal, plaster, and fortifying agents to produce a piece of art that is both strong and lightweight. The castings are then shaped by hand with angle grinders, files, and sandpaper so that each piece has its own unique form.  Once shaped, the casting is then primed with a cold bronze coating before being colored with gold leaf, metal fibers, acid dyes, patinas, and an acid wash. Each piece is painted by hand and due to the natural chemical processes taking place, no one piece is alike. The finished art piece is sealed with a UV and waterproof coating that will preserve the colors and protect it from the elements. "Hummingbird totem is an ally when you are in need of shining your inner light, which has evolved from internal realizations. Hummingbird’s beautiful iridescent feathers are one of the characteristics that align you with having the courage to embrace your potential and experience your extraordinary nature. Let the vibrant energy of hummingbird encourage you to shine your light brightly and be a wonderful contributor to all that is good in your community." - Excerpted from Animal Totems and the Gemstone Kingdom by Margaret Ann Lembo