Spatiality and Light
My paintings incorporate elements of spatiality and light. Initially, the viewer’s eye is attracted to the spatial environment created by severe contrasts of light and dark, however, my treatment of shadows invokes a closer, second look at the unique effects created through layers of colors.
I fell in love with the egg tempera painting for its luminosity, translucence and lasting durability. Egg yolk acting as a binding agent, is mixed with paint pigment to form this paint. It was the painting medium used before oil paint was invented. In college I had worked with various painting mediums including oils and acrylics and nothing truly inspired me until I was introduced to the egg tempera medium. I was instructed in the traditional method of the medium, by first preparing the board with several layers of rabbit skin glue gesso resulting in the most beautiful white luminescent polished smooth surface that I would ever want to paint on. Then I applied the egg tempera paint in a crosshatched technique in thin layers achieving the most wonderful depth of colors peaking through the layers. The gesso ground seemed to glow through the layers of egg tempera paints creating an interesting sense of light. I’ve been passionate about this medium ever since.
Although my artwork is architectural in theme, my palette is atypical, incorporating pastel and jewel colors. I’m intrigued by the projected positive and negative shapes that naturally occur from light interacting with architecture; sunlight and distorted shadows have always caught my eye and have become constant elements in my paintings. As much as I enjoy the painting aspect, the creative process is most fun and challenging. I create many sketches, experimenting and manipulating the variables of light, shapes, depth and color until I achieve the essence of my visualization.
