32 x 15.5 inches

Firefly

An attempt by me to do an unconventional style of mounting to commemorate a trip to Shikoku to view fireflies last summer with Chloe.

The artwork - Running script version of the character for firefly, done by Chloe in Kyoto last summer on paper she had made previously in Kyushu.

chūberi - The interior framing is thick black Thai paper on which I scattered flecks of gold leaf. The round window was created by wetting a circle in the paper, and pulling the fibers as I removed the interior.

ten and chi - The outer green frames at top and bottom are thin damask silk from a vintage obi.

 finials - The decorative finials at either end of the bottom roller are painted wooden drawer pulls.

fūtai - The pair of “wind strips” on the top are of the same black Thai paper with gold flecks. The tsuyu (what look like whiskers) at the ends of these strips are outlandishly long gold threads.

(shown with “wind weights” made from horn and glass grappa bottle stoppers.)