The Dark

This painting is too large to scan in its entirety. The first and last images are digital photos. The detailed scans below offer a more accurate picture of the deep, unusual hues and exciting textures found in this piece.

The words in this piece read: "I was unable to accept my position in the light until I first befriended the dark."

The 1.5" staple-free sides of this "deep dish" canvas have been painted black allowing you to display this piece unframed.

This is such an exciting painting! I am thrilled by this image. It feels both timeless and modern at the same time and evokes a mythical perspective. The Dark is filled with deep, rich colors and beautiful, intriguing textures. And of course it stars a uniquely charming (and intelligent!) dragon who obviously enjoyed posing for me. This painting continues my interest in the subtle inclusion of language in art. There is a single phrase painted in small, camouflaged letters in the lower right corner. The words read, "I was unable to accept my position in the light until I first befriended the dark." This unusual, amusing, arresting image with its message of balance and patience is sure to lend a bit of ancient magic to any home or work space.

The Dark was a complex piece to create. This piece evolved through many many layers. First, I primed the canvas with black acrylic gesso. Next, I used a palette knife to apply a thin layer of acrylic modeling paste. I carefully dragged my knife across the surface to create rich organic textures and I used a dental tool to "etch" in the rectangular "window" that would eventually hold the dragon. I also scratched a textured frame around the window and used an ice scraper to clear the modeling paste from the surface of the window. Next, I covered the canvas with a bold expressionist painting filled with blues and purples. I used a soft cloth to rub ochre and green and black into key areas. And I used a wet cloth to rub through some layers of paint to allow the underpainting to show through in certain areas. Finally, I used small detail brushes to paint the dragon, the words, and key highlights and lowlights. The dragon was also built up over layers. I began by creating him in shades of green and blue and then fleshed him out with shades of red and burgundy atop that underpainting.

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