WORKSHOP: THE MUTABILIS ROSE

Part 3: Assembling Your Installation

This workshop is part three of a three-part series by artist Jessie Pittard, coinciding with her paper installation on display in Latrobe Regional Gallery’s front windows from 31 October – 29 November for this year’s Morwell International Rose Garden Festival.

In this workshop you will add the last elements and piece together everything that you have completed from Workshop 1 and 2. Complete all three workshops to create a paper installation of your own.

See more of Jessie’s work on Instagram  @jessiepittard or visit her website www.jessiepittard.com

We’d love to see your floral creations by sending us a photo or sharing via social media. Tag your photo with #LRGRoseGarden for your chance to have your work featured on the online gallery!

This workshop has three parts so you will want to allow at least 2 hours to complete all components:

1. Creative writing: Allow 15 minutes
2. Assembling the bush: Allow 40 minutes + drying time

We suggest making a day of it with your family and a friend or two! Take some inspiration from the Mutabilis rose captured by friend of the Morwell Centrenary Rose Garden Bev Maguire

LET’S MAKE IT!

PART 1: Creative writing

1. Cutting paper to size
   • Fold your A4 paper length ways and cut.
   • Take one strip, fold in half and cut again.
2. Writing
   • Get inspired and use your black pen to write your thoughts about the Mutabilis rose!
   • This could be a descriptive response to the look of the rose, a poem, a memory or even a reflection about the workshops and the making of your own rose.
   • Continue writing until all the paper is covered.
3. Word butterflies
   • Fold your page of writing in half, with the writing on the inside.
   • The Mutabilis rose is also commonly nicknamed the butterfly rose, so we are going to transform our writing pieces into our very own word butterflies to be placed within the rose bush.
4. Cut them out
   • Cut out a butterfly from your folded sheet. (You can cut out and draw your own butterfly or use the butterfly template provided)
5. Repeat to create more butterflies
   • Repeat steps 1 – 4 so you end up with several word butterflies.
   • If you’re planning on making a large rose bush, adding several plain white butterflies along with your word butterflies can be a beautiful addition.
6. Word ribbons
   • These ribbons will wrap around and through the bush.
   • Draw several ribbon lines across the page roughly one centimetre apart and cut them out.
   • Using your black pen, give the ribbons a black outline, and then begin to write.
7. Writing
   • The text you write could be similar to your word butterflies, or you might decide to try something different. If you wrote a poem, try a descriptive piece!
   • Your ribbons can be short or long, just write what comes to you. If you reach the end of your strip of paper but have not finished writing, lightly glue another strip onto the end and continue writing.
   • Make sure you use at least one ribbon to write out your name and the name of the rose

PART 2: Assembling the bush

1. Cardboard backing (optional)
   • This is optional, but will give your rose bush more strength when adding the flowers.
   • Cover your cardboard sheet in glue and gently place rose bush down, pressing firmly so every element is attached.
   • Do this for both your white and black pen rose bush.
   • Put to the side and wait till it has fully dried.
   • Once dry cut both rose bushes out again.
2. Folding and cutting paper
   • The sepals will help us join the flowers to the bush.
   • Using your scrap paper, cut out a square. Fold in half and then half again, so you end up with a smaller square. Do this for both your white and black pen rose bush.
3. Creating the sepals
   • Holding the folded paper in your fingers, cut a three pronged shape.
   • Cut the bottom corner fold off and unfold.
4. Colouring the sepals
   • Using the same black texta used to draw the rose bush, colour in the sepals.
   • Colour in both sides, so if you decide to curl them down it will still match with rest of the bush.
5. Attaching the sepals
   • Use a small amount of PVA to attach the coloured-in sepal to the back of the rose.
   • Pinch the sepal around the flower petals
   • Let it sit face down until the glue dries.
6. Attaching sepals for angled roses
   • For roses that you want to join on a different angle, draw out some long grass-shaped strips
   • Colour them in with black texta.
   • Glue these strips to the back of the rose with PVA.
   • Leave an over-hanging flap, so you can attach it to the rose bush after it dries.
7. Shaping the bush
   • Gather all elements created throughout these workshops – it’s time to start building the bush!
   • Place your black rose bush on top of the white rose bush.
   • Gently bend, twist and lift to shape the bush.
8. Gluing in place
   • When you find a position that looks good, use PVA to secure the black bush onto the white one.
   • You can try Blu Tack or a small amount of tape to help hold in position while you glue.
9. Add flowers to the bush
   • Apply a generous amount of glue to the base of your flower, then press it into position on the bush.
   • Try not to bump it while it dries. This can take several hours so you may want to leave it overnight.
   • If you don’t want to wait, use masking tape to attach the flowers, and colour the tape so you can’t see it.
10. Attaching flowers with stem sepals
    • For flowers you want to attach on an angle, add glue to the back of the tab.
    • Wrap it around a long stem.
    • Colour in the section where it overlaps once it dries, to disguise the join.
11. Adding word butterflies and ribbons
    • Add a small amount of glue to the back of the butterflies and attach to your chosen spot. This could be on the leaves, stem, buds or even on a flower petal.
    • Press down, but try not to flatten your butterfly too much.
    • Wind and weave your ribbons through the rose bush.
    • If it looks like your ribbon might fall out add a small amount of glue (if you wind it through the bush you probably won’t need to).
    • Leave everything to set and dry. A few hours in sunlight will help it dry faster.
12. Displaying your work
    • For temporary installation on a wall or window, use Blu Tack (read back of label to make sure it won’t leave a mark on your wall when removed).
    • Use lots of small pea sized balls of Blu Tack placed evenly across the back of your work.
    • When attaching to the wall, press firmly down on each spot to make sure it stays.
    • The sections where you have placed the flowers will be heavier, so make sure they are secured well.
    • Other display options could be to place them in a vase on a shelf or install in a box frame.
    • For something more permanent like a box frame you can position your work with a combination of glue, double-sided tape, chocks or pins. (Just be aware this is a more permanent fixing and if you wish to remove your work later down the track it may get damaged).Now that you have completed all three workshops, it’s time to stand back and admire your work!

Latrobe Regional Gallery's Education and Public Programs are generously supported by Opal.