Dialogue Painting

This botanical abstract is inspired by the Southern California suburban landscape I inhabit. The shapes and forms are vehicles for expressive color play. The work is rendered in casein tempera paint on heavy (400 lb.), cold press watercolor paper. I do the underlying sketch in pencil (based on an original thumbnail sketch) and finish the painting with a cold wax varnish, buffed to a leather-like finish. The image is 18 x 26-3/4 inches on 22 x 30 inch paper with deckle edges. Unframed. Note that casein tempera paint is derived from milk protein, can be brittle (thus the heavy, rigid watercolor paper) and so the painting cannot be bent, folded, or rolled. I have had good results framing such works using a float mount technique under glass or acrylic.