The more I look closely at nature, the more I realize it is a strong metaphor for the human condition, and I incorporate it into my paintings as much as possible.
The painting below started with an asparagus fern gone wild, seeking light in the middle of winter. A frond hit the ceiling in its quest, and over a period of many days circled around and around in desperation and confusion as it followed what little light it could discern. When I took pity on its jumbled state (see detail photo) and cut it off, I was astounded at the complexity of the journey it took without leaving home. I pressed the resultant stalk for some months to dry it thoroughly.
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| Quest for Light 20 x 16 |
I daubed a canvas thoroughly with Titan Buff, and over-daubed several layers of Cobalt Green Deep to create a variety of values . Adhering those coats with an additional two coats of acrylic medium, I then carefully covered the stalk with two layers of medium, adhered it to the canvas with heavy-duty acrylic gel, and sprayed it all with several coats of varnish.
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| Quest for Light - Detail |
While a painstaking and time-consuming process, it is a great reminder to me of the multifaceted natural world, and possibly our own life.
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