Taking a photo of a mirror is one of the hardest images to capture. We had this old mirror that was, once upon a time, part of a dressing table or similar piece of furniture. It has been around for a very long time and was in a state of disrepair. As we have gone along setting up our household, the decision was made to put it into use somewhere in the house. After repairing the damaged frame, it was sanded and several coats of paint that matched one of the interior doors was applied.
In 2018, I had the opportunity to attend John C. Campbell Folk School near Sylva, NC for an intensive course in traditional Rosemaling, a Norwegian form of painting. Our focus was in Telmark style of Rosemaling which is modeled after the acanthas flower. Telmark is never symetrical, but rather a broad, sweeping way to paint flowers, leaves and flourishes. The more symetrical forms belong to other styles that come from Sweden, Germany or even Russia. Sometimes in the US it is referred to as Tole Painting after the artworks of the Pennsylvania Dutch, but it is not nearly the same. If my instructor could see this work, she would probably be agast at the poor quality of the design, however in keeping with the purpose of Rosemaling in the dark homes of the Nordic countries - to lighten up interior darkness especially during the long winter months - the mirror received a bit of new life.
For a time, the craft space - a room now rather than a separate building - waited for paint, both mundane and artistic, to dry. At times the space was extended into the den, but at last the project is complete and the mirror is hanging in its new spot.
