JULY 21 ISSUE ANSWERS (photo to right): This Victorian glass dome is filled with wax fruit. Wax fruit was also displayed in bowls and baskets as a decoration. I remember my mother used to display both real and artificial grapes draped over a glass turkey every Thanksgiving. It is said that in 1886, the artist Paul Cezanne used wax fruit to paint rather than real fruit because he wanted to avoid rotten fruit during a still-life session. To create the wax fruit a plaster mold was formed around the fruit. When the plaster hardened it was cut open and the fruit removed. Putting the mold halves together a hole was put in allowing hot wax to pour into the mold. The mold was shaken allowing the wax to adhere to the inside of the mold. Removing the mold revealed the shape of the fruit. Next a realistic paint job made the hollow wax fruit look real. The Bancroft/Stranahan Museum has an example of the domed wax fruit display. Come visit some Tuesday evening 7-9 p.m. RHS Staff