A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC 2 Painting

Collectors familiar Johniene Papandreas’ figurative works will know they are often based on “models” found in classical Renaissance and Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces, capturing elements of their expressions in large-scale “decontextualized details” that reveal moments that normally escape conscious recognition. Her botanicals follow a similar path of inspiration using classic Dutch still-life and the works of naturalists to invite us into eerie, atmospheric other-worlds and lush, hidden micro-universes unfolding beneath our human-centric awareness. In this example, for instance, a sprig of a flowers in an opulent arrangement by Dutch master Jan van Huysum become ghostly blooms glowing in the moonlight against a velvet night. “It is in the spaces between, what you see when you are not “looking”, that wonder resides… the parallel universe of the visceral. Just below the surface of the familiar, even the mundane, are wonders awaiting discovery.” Technique: The paintings are created entirely by brush on sized, heavyweight muslin (chosen for its unobtrusive weave) in casein, a paint derived from milk or soy protein, a paint used widely by artists in earlier times and enjoying a renaissance today. Though it has similarities to both watercolor and gouache, it is more durable than either and can be used to create both translucent and opaque effects. The paint is applied in thin layers, building visual depth without thickness of paint. The result is a soft, matte, luminosity that appears to glow from within, even in the dimmest of light. Because of the specialized technique used, the paintings remain pliable and can be safely dismounted, rolled for shipping or storage, and re-stretched without fear of chipping or cracking. NOTE: ACTUAL PAINTING IS 30"X30" BUT 36X36 ON THE DIAGONAL