A Delicate Shadowbox

Julianne’s most recent visit into Malibu Gallery was to custom frame a meaningful gift for a family member.

“My Brother gave me 3 frames with 1, 2 & 3 butterflies each. The frames were not in good shape but I kept them. When he died in December, 2017, I had them all framed together as a gift to my godchild, his 2nd of 6 daughters.”

Julianne selected a luminous, contemporary shadowbox with gold hand-leafing with rustic wood-grain finish. We softened the background with a warm golden suede mat and selected Conservation Clear glass for its 99% UV protection.

Julianne’s butterflies were in good shape, but extremely fragile. They were originally displayed in a glass trap; the butterflies were glued to a piece of glass with domed glass placed over the top. Although Julianne was concerned about their fragile state she trusted us.

“Malibu Gallery is my go-to place for perfection,” Julianne said.

Removing the butterflies was a focused process that required a steady and delicate hand.  Once removed, each butterfly was carefully mounted on a custom built pedestal using the material of the mat.   Time had taken a toll on two of the butterflies so we created new antenna.

Alex designed the piece with Julianne and Mary worked on its construction.  Mary said, “I love how this particular shadowbox turned out.  It’s gorgeous in its own right but has layers of meaning that make it really special.” – – Thank you for trusting us to work on such a meaningful and beautiful gift, Julianne!