End of year photo journal

At The Art Institute of Chicago I saw two really well done exhibitions in December: Gates of the Lord and Kesa. I am particularly interested in the integration of gold with natural dyes, like indigo and oxides. Currently in the studio, I am working on several paintings with layers of natural indigo and metals, aiming to communicate an Environment that is both precious and vulnerable.

The Gates of the Lord exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago follows the artistic and religious traditions of the Pushtimarg sect: a Hindu community centered in the town of Nathdwara (Gates of the Lord) in Rajasthan, western India.

The Japanese term kesa derives from the Sanskrit word kasaya (or turbulence, an allusion to the dyeing process) and indicates the garment’s Indian origin. Although there are earlier examples, particularly in Japanese temple collections, most surviving kesa date from the Edo period (1615–1868) and the Meiji period (1868–1912).

Detail of painting in studio employing historic color (indigo- India, ochre-India, quartz- France and graphite-USA as shown) in water based animal and plant derived mediums. Pure silver and aluminum are both hidden and revealed. I am aiming for the marriage of an inner and outer surface: the lushness, fragility and vulnerability of nature.