Fátima Painting

Acrylic on Portuguese Cork Framed: 32" x 45" Unframed: 24" x 36" Product details: -Painted on 0.25" thick Portuguese cork -Personalized, signed certificate of authenticity -Signed on back -Custom Italian wood frame (see photos) -Pre-installed hardware for professional, flush hanging on wall -Professionally packaged -Ships in a cardboard box In the beginning of 2017, I chose to make a shift from using wood panels and aluminum as my medium to explore a canvas that is an homage to my maternal family heritage. My mother's home country of Portugal is known for producing half of the world's cork and for centuries of nautical mastery. On a drive to the Algarve during my most recent trip to Portugal this year, I passed through several acres of Oak Cork trees that had been harvested for their bark. The Oak Cork tree, or Quercus Suber, is mostly found on 1.6 million acres of land in southern Portugal. The first Portuguese laws protecting the tree date back to the 14th century. The oldest known Oak Cork tree is "The Whistler Tree," which has been harvested since 1820. When the tree turns 25 years old, the bark is removed every 9-12 years over its 200 year lifespan. It remains the only tree that can regenerate its bark after removal, leaving it unharmed. Once harvested, the trunk is marked with a number noting how many years it's been since the last harvest. The resulting cork is sustainable, buoyant, pliable, fire retardant, versatile and light in weight. Inspired by these cork farms and seeing the expansive use of cork interwoven in so many aspects of everyday Portuguese life; I'm moved to use this sustainable material as my canvas to explore my nautical aesthetic; creating pieces that are intimate windows into who I am and where I come from. "Rustico" is a Portuguese conversational term for mixing old and new aesthetics; a harmonious sight often reflected in the blend of centuries-old buildings and newer construction. I love mixing old traditions, materials and styles with contemporary taste. I hope you enjoy this extension of me and appreciate its origins.