a triptych - one narrow panel squeezed by two larger,
now joins what was and will be ...
that first stroke -
the first coat of gesso
over finely sanded wood surfaces ...
it’s gettin’ to be an old tradition
for me and painting’s history ...
for years i’ve been layering seven coats of gesso -
thin to thick over the surface to create stable ground
between surface and paint for a few reasons;
- because i admire the durability and care of the medieval fresco
and panel paintings, their patina, texture, and aging;
the artist’s hand ...
- repeated actions of layering gesso familiarizes me
with the surface and size of the terrain ...
- by the time i’ve completed the gessoing,
the surface is already imbued with patterns and texture;
with its’ own code ...
- seven coats is probably overkill, but eliminates guess work
and has consistently provided stable ground ...
- seven is also a bit magical to me - it’s all white on white,
motion, sensing, praying, planning - getting down to the moment,
the environment, the key; where the alchemy begins ...
even here,
emptiness and purity
have history ...
