Pandemic Painting Project: “Rabbit Hole”
The pandemic challenged many of us in unexpected ways, and for me that included a reckoning of sorts concerning my commitment to making art: Did I still have the creative juice to go big and bold? I believe this 16-foot-long triptych answers that question.
Rabbit Hole, a 7’H x 16’W triptych, was painted entirely outdoors.
I made this small grid drawing of two French curves that I then transferred to a larger grid.
The full-scale grid drawing was then attached to the linen canvas with the two French curves at full size.
Once attached to the painting, the large cartoon (a full-scale preparatory drawing) was punched with holes and used to paint marks that form a pattern once the paper is removed.
Oil paint is from Zecchi Colari Belle Arti in Florence, Italy and encaustic is from R&F Handmade Paints in Kingston, NY.
Work in process, including electric griddle and heat guns to work with encaustic and blue nitrile gloves to work with oils and solvents.
Two painted linen canvas footprints with grommets that were hand sewn onto painting with darning yarn.
Detail of the hole in the top right of the painting, which is surrounded by white encaustic.
Finished three-panel painting, with oil paint, encaustic pigment and mixed media applied to a linen canvas, with stretchers by Syman Art Services.
The painting was finished on September 11, 2021 in Stone Ridge, New York.