Art has always been a way for mankind to connect with nature, an attempt to understand its mystery and beauty, to borrow its power. Artist’s earliest primal symbols show a desire to acknowledge the critical role animals played in human survival. I paint endangered species to call attention to this ancient connection. With the lose of each species, we become less human.
Some of the endangered species are oil on canvas, but most of them are created using traditional gilding techniques originating in ancient Egypt. A wooden panel is covered with several layers of gesso (a mixture of chalk and animal hyde glue) and then painted with bole (a naturally occurring clay mixed with glue) before sheets of gold leaf are applied and burnished with an agate stone to produce a reflective surface. To create the relief or “pastiglia”, warm gesso is carefully ladled on top of the gessoed wood before the bole layer.
Steel punches may be used to imprint the gilded surface or the gold may be covered with tempera paint and scratched through to expose the brilliance below, a technique called “sgraffito”.
Some of the endangered species are oil on canvas, but most of them are created using traditional gilding techniques originating in ancient Egypt. A wooden panel is covered with several layers of gesso (a mixture of chalk and animal hyde glue) and then painted with bole (a naturally occurring clay mixed with glue) before sheets of gold leaf are applied and burnished with an agate stone to produce a reflective surface. To create the relief or “pastiglia”, warm gesso is carefully ladled on top of the gessoed wood before the bole layer.
Steel punches may be used to imprint the gilded surface or the gold may be covered with tempera paint and scratched through to expose the brilliance below, a technique called “sgraffito”.
American Buffalo_23x18x4_gold leaf and tempera on gessoed wood_1996.JPG
Constellation Tableau_5 h x 24 w x 3 1/2 deep_gold leaf and tempera on gessoed wood_2014.JPG
Endangered Species Crocodile_17x11_gold leaf and oil on gessoed panel_2006.JPG
Endangered Species Frog_15x13_gold leaf and tempera on gessoed panel_1998.JPG
Endangered Species Grevy's Zebra_15x17_gold leaf and tempera on gessoed panel_2000.jpg
Endangered Species Marvelous Spatuletail_20x8 in mahogony frame_gold leaf on gessoed wood_2000.JPG
Endangered Species Red Crown Cranes_24x30_gold leaf and tempera on gessoed panel_2004_Collection of the Corcoran Gallery.jpg
Endangered Species Sea Turtle_15x13_gold leaf and tempera on gessed panel_1998.JPG
Endangered Species Wallace Bee_13x15_gold leaf and tempera on gessoed wood_2003.jpg
Fishbone Giraffe_10x6x2_gold leaf on gessoed wood_2018.jpg
On the Edge_32x32_oil on linen_2014.JPG
Owl Oryx Ocelot_42x8_gold leaf and graphite on gilded oak and gessoed wood_2003.jpg
Zebrafly Opus II_16x16_oil with gold leaf on linen_2018.jpg
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b_Black and White Issues_16x16_graphite on gessoed wood_2011.JPG
Endangered Species Crayfish_25x9_gold leaf and oil on gessoed panel in antique frame_2004.JPG
Endangered Species Fijian Banded Iguana_17x15_gold leaf and multi colored bole on panel_2003.JPG
Endangered Species Grizzly Bear_17x15_gold leaf and tempera on gessoed panel_1998.JPG
Endangered Species Okapi_44x28_oil on linen_2010.JPG
Endangered Species Sea Horse_15x13_gold leaf and tempera on geeed panel_2000.JPG
Endangered Species Spotted Owl_15x13_gold leaf and tempera on gessoed panel_1998.JPG
Fishbone Elephant in frame 12x14_gesso on panel_2018.jpg
Fishbone Zebra_8x10x2_gold leaf on gessoed wood_2018.jpg
Pilican Panda Penquin Panther_10x10_gold leaf and graphite on gessoed panel_2010.JPG
Running Zebra (32/36)_oil on linen_2017.jpg
Zebra on Fire_36x48_gold and copper leaf on linen_2017.jpg
Zebrafly Opus I_32x32_oil with copper leaf on linen_2016.jpg
Zebrafly Opus III_32x32_2018_oil with gold and copper leaf on linen_2018.jpg
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