That's Golden

That's Golden

 I have a new work of art that I really like. I "saw" it before I started working on it, and in fact, I bought a particular substrate just in order to make this piece. It is a variation of the cruciform composition, and each of the rectangles is different from the others. 

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8" x 8" x 1.5" deep

Painted with the finest quality acrylic heavy-body paint and imitation gold leaf on cradled wood panel

Edges painted black

Click here to view  on my website.

The first step I took was coating the substrate with heavy-body black paint. I wanted to be able to capture brush strokes and cracks throughout the painting. I have used gold leaf, gel matte medium, modeling paste, and different techniques to achieve the contrasts. (There is such a thing as pure gold leaf, but it is quite expensive.)

In low light, the gold really shines. It seems to capture whatever light is available and reflect it. Part of the gold leaf is a single sheet that would be completely smooth (if I had excellent technique) but for the brushstrokes and texture underneath. The smaller square is made up of many flakes of leaf adhered with the same sizing, but with far more wrinkles and gaps. 

The black areas have different textures and finishes, too, and I just find the whole thing to be very satisfying. 

A familiar motif in my paintings has been the circles which seem to be falling from the top of the painting. In fact, the first time I remember using this idea was when I was studying commercial art in college many moons ago. The assignment, or at least, my adaptation of the assignment, was to create a bulletin cover for a church service. I chose to represent a favorite verse of mine: James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. It seems that this concept is still very important to me, since it shows up in my work so often! 

Here is the same passage in a different variation of the New Testament, the Message. James 1:17 Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. Yes, I think "rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light" is just what I would like you to see in this painting!

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Definition of golden

golden; adjective

1. as in bright

having qualities which inspire hope

this may be your golden moment 

Golden as an idiom: 

golden

1. informal Of an exceptionally outstanding quality, character, or value.