A few years ago I wanted to try inlay mosaics in something. So I took one of my fish designs and cut it out of wood panel. Then I used a dremel tool and cut into the wood the thickness of the mosaic tile. After gessoing the board, I wrapped the fins with copper tooling foil. I used leather tools to pound in designs into the metal (wow that was therapeutic). Then I inlayed the mosaic tile. The blue and cooper tile chemistry was what got me excited. I've been looking a lot at ERTE's work with the iridescent metal embossing on his prints. Last I used acrylic paint to do a faux finish to the fish body.
After Sherri and I moved up here to the Northwest, we started to see a lot of really cool glasswork. The translucent feel to the glass has really inspired me to think beyond the traditional surface of painting. All of these pieces are experiments, combining elements to get a visual chemistry. That chemistry of elements goes beyond words. It becomes part of the excitement of the artwork taking a life of it's own without me forcing it. I bought a kiln to start doing some clay sculptures and play with glazes.
Once an artist said to me " Why do this stuff?" basically asking me what is this all for. My replay was "Why not!" Ok this is going to sound artsy fartsy but I don't mean it that way. I feel like the work that I have been doing starting with the fish, cats and landscapes have been honest expressions of my heart.
honest art love,
Jeff
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