The Weight Of Orchids XXVII - Limited Edition 1 of 1 Print

The Weight of Orchids In 2014, I was awarded first place at the national NANA Competition at Lucky Street Gallery, Key West, FL and was granted a month long residency at The Studios of Key West. So, I packed my studio and transferred my life to the subtropical beautiful island, in February 2017. On the first day I passed a front yard that was abundantly embellished by orchids. I was immediately put under the spell of those beautiful flowers which were attached to the palm trees' trunks. They resembled swaying gorgeous color dots with a profound sense of vulnerability. From that day on, I only printed and painted orchids, lush gardens and imaginary spaces, sanctuaries that have the power to stop time and let you reset. First timid and delicate, I started to paint the flowers on my aluminum printing plate, only to grow bolder and more colorful with each following print. It became a roar that changed my color palette and sparked multiple new series in my mind. After 10 years, I started to paint in oil again, large, wonderful gestural, paintings in bold and vivid colors. I surprised myself again. About the unique printing process: The pigmented beeswax is melted on a hot aluminum plate and manipulated. The print is hand rubbed with a Japanese baren and then carefully pulled. One print is made of multiple unique printing processes and printed on both sides of the paper. The printing process is challenging, because the wax continues to melt on the plate while printing. The paper gets translucent and saturated with the pigmented wax. The colors are uniquely brilliant and luminous and metal pigments sit as an embellishment on top of the paper. I print in wax, because the painting process embodies vulnerability and failure. I leap and fail, but when I succeed I transcend tragedy and witness the genesis of grace and the ephemeral.