Isolde's Vision Painting

I let my artistic process organically flow by making immediate decisions and taking advantage of chance revelations as to the direction of the piece. When this painting was finished I felt its strong emotional intensity. It was then I realized its significance to me. Isolde’s Vision is my interpretation of the electrifying moments from the final act of Richard Wagner’s “Tristan and Isolde” as vividly described to me, many years ago, by an opera enthusiast. This painting was created using venetian plaster on board. The plaster’s unique quality helps me produce surfaces that are immediately appealing and as sensuous as a beautiful aria. The process includes hand-tinting the plaster before applying multiple coats to the board. Various materials and tools are used for rubbing, scraping, and sanding the surface to uncover buried marks and textures that create a history of where I have been. A unique exploration emerges following this process of adding and subtracting layers. At times, bold gestural marks originate from visceral reactions to music. This intuitive abstraction with its deep cradleboard edge is finished with a natural stain. It needs no frame. A floated frame would be suitable for the artwork if you like.