Life Of A Painting, No. 1
Ma-ma's Cabin Quilt / November 2024 / Egg Tempera on Wood Panel
When I moved back to Lancaster in November 2024, I wanted to continue learning how to paint with egg tempera. It’s a brittle medium to paint with, and it’s recommended to paint on a stiff surface like wood instead of paper that bends and can cause cracks in the paint surface.
My wonderful dad was willing and excited to help me make these wood panels to paint on. He bought a sheet of pine and divided it into over a dozen panels. Cut, assembled, glued, and sanded.
One of my favorite parts: priming the panels! 3 layers of rabbit skin glue, dried over night. Sanded. Followed by 5-10 layers of rabbit skin glue and calcium carbonate. It makes a really wonderful surface to paint on.
Then in the studio… I work on many paintings at once, really jumping around so I don’t feel frustrated if one isn’t working out. So in the midst of several working panels, I started drawing from this beautiful Log Cabin quilt from the Smithsonian exhibit book, “Pattern and Paradox: The Quilts of Amish Women”— which I had the complete joy of visiting back in August with my dad.
I drew color inspiration from my Ma-ma’s stunning Log Cabin variation.
Here I am placing paper bits of color before painting them.
And then having actually painted the red squares in.
Being the stellar guy he is, my dad helped me build a pine cradle frame for the piece as I prepared to exhibit it in Fragments: Reflections on Memory at the Annmarie Arts Center in Solomons, Maryland.
The whole exhibit was very moving and personal. Here are the works waiting to be hung, and my artist statement in the exhibition catalog.
You can find prints of Ma-ma’s Cabin Quilt on my website— a 10x10” reproduction on 9x12” heavy weight paper, signed and dated.
FIND ME HERE:
First Friday, June 6th, 5-8pm - Lancaster Art Vault Artisan Market. I’ll be there with art prints, original paintings, and ceramics.
July-August - Solo exhibit at Nooks Bookstore & Gallery. More info about opening event TBA.
Every Monday, 10-5pm - Labadie Looms