Storybook Shower

   This September my sweet niece Madeleine is getting married and as a surprise gift I created a painting of her and her fiancé, Wade, based on a selfie photo they posted of themselves together on their recent travels to France.

   Remembering how as a young girl Madeleine loved the “Madeline“ children’s book series, I incorporated the background of her and Wade’s *selfie* in Paris by impersonating the illustrations of Ludwig Bemelman’s enchanted artwork of scenes in Paris along with his distinctively unique tree shapes found in all the “Madeline” books.

   I made the painting with the intent of creating a cake/pastry stand featuring my artwork which I put under a glass plate; and then I put a crystal candlestick under that which worked as a pedestal. { A pastry stand just impressed me as something fancy and French, so I decided to create one as a wedding gift. }​

​    First I did a drawing of Madeleine & Wade's selfie from their trip to Paris along with the imaginative storybook interpreted background which looked like this black & white picture before I added color keeping in mind the pallet of Ludwig Bemelmans' artistry.

   The artwork with painted color:

   The bride with her gift at her wedding shower this past weekend:

   Je veux vous féliciter Madeleine & Wade!