Plates celebrate military service
Carmel Ecker
Staff writer
My hope is that I am creating something that will be cherished and passed on to family members for generations.
Photo by Bonnie Saunders, Artist
A self-taught artist from Saskatchewan is using her talents to promote Canada's Navy.
Bonnie Saunders has spent the last year and a half creating unique art pieces that feature military badges and ship crests.
Her canvass is an eight-inch clear glass plate. Using decoupage and paint, she hand-makes each piece, which are framed in a shadow box lined with a rich red ultra suede.
A signed and dated bilingual certificate of authenticity is included with a custom-ordered plaque engraved with a name and rank or congratulatory message that is fixed to the bottom of the frame.
The whole package costs $149.
Saunders is elusive about her 14-step process to make the plates and no one is allowed to enter her country studio, which is located in a century-old church in Frenchman Butte, SK.
"It's a unique trade secret so I can't give you the details," she says.
Sparse with the finer points, she says each piece starts with cutting out a paper copy of the high-resolution image, which is applied to the plate from the back.
"It's done in an upside down backward process," she says, which leaves the front of the plate smooth, providing depth to the art below.
With the images in place, Saunders begins several stages of painting and curing before the plate is sealed and framed.
Saunders' idea for the plates began when she saw a similar product on TV about 15 years ago. Once she decided to try it for herself, it took five years to perfect her technique.
She originally began her business with plates featuring her own coloured pencil artwork that were complemented by her trademark: a rich faux crackle background that she continues to use on the military plates.
As she goes through the process, which takes several days, Saunders must be diligent to keep her studio at the right temperature and humidity. If either of those elements strays too far from ideal, it ruins her work and she has to start over.
But those aren't the only things that can go wrong. A simple dust speck or loose paintbrush fibre on the plate's surface can spoil it.
Because of this potential for disaster, when Saunders gets an order for a plate, she makes three at the same time so she has backups.
The learning process has been tedious at times, but Saunders says she enjoys it. She builds her own websites and does her own
marketing.
"I'm a one person show so it's a lot to coordinate, along with the family life that includes two children and a husband, but it's worth it. I really enjoy it. I have met some wonderful people along the way, which makes it even more rewarding," she says.
Saunders first explored the use of commemorative plates while looking for a niche market to expand her sales. She asked the RCMP for permission to use their crest to make unique commemorative plates.
The success of these, often being purchased as graduation gifts for new officers or as retirement gifts, led Saunders to approach the Canadian Forces about making a similar product.
It took nine months to obtain a licensing agreement through Crown Copyright and Licensing, who is her liaison with the Department of National Defence. The approval process to obtain badge images has shortened immensely and now takes between two to four weeks.
As each badge request comes in, and is approved by the Commanding Officer of each unit or branch, it is added to her sizable repertoire that spans units across all three environments.
Some of her plates have ended up in prestigious hands.
Saunders presented her first military badge plate, the Canadian Forces Crest Plate, to Gen Rick Hillier in June 2008 just before he retired as Chief of the Defence Staff.
Saunders says she was pleased he was the first recipient, since he is the creator of the Military Families Fund, a fund that Saunders supports with the sale of each CF badge plate.
"I never imagined I would be presenting it to him in person at a Military Families Fund Gala. He was so worthy to receive it - it was a very memorable occasion that I will cherish," she says.
Other notable people to receive her work include Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex; the Premiers of Western Canada; and hockey hall of famer Paul Coffey.
Saunders says she is very proud to be able to provide her heirloom quality mementos to commemorate CF members' service to Canada.
"They are ideal for so many occasions, such as change of command gifts, graduation gifts, tributes to veterans and personal keepsakes, to name a few. My hope is that I am creating something that will be cherished and passed on to family members for generations. The testimonials I have received from recipients are very heartwarming."
Plates can be ordered through Saunders' website, www.forces-memorabilia.com.
