Creating fresco is a visceral, meditative expression for me. I go to auctions, and scout the shops, looking for unusual frames, as a hobby. The feel and history of the frame speaks to me. In the moment I fall in love with a frame, I get a vision of place. That is when my art journey begins. I take the frame home and carefully restore, or enhance it, to suit my vision. I enjoy this recycling aspect of my creative process. All the while, thoughts for the fresco grow, as a visual brain child inside my head.
Next comes cutting a board to fit the frame. I like doing this myself, for some strange reason. It's just another simple, practical part of the passage of creating. The entire journey, for me, is a meditation, that becomes a reality. I create beauty from seeds of thought. What a joyful way to live and work!
The next step is usually done in my own backyard, surrounded by trees, observed from a distance, only by neighboring horses. I mix my own recipes of hard lime fresco plaster, applied in various texture layers, and colors. I love making these beautiful, relief foundations for my images. The end result has more depth, warmth, and character than any other medium.
I paint my plaster still damp. The image in my head begins to emerge, through my hands. It literally, soaks into, and becomes one with the plaster. Serene tones blend into peaceful landscapes. Fresco plaster painting helps me visually communicate in a soft spoken way. It is very intentional that the viewer experiences a feeling of atmosphere in my work. I want to offer the closest thing to sanctuary, in a visual experience. That is my authentic gift, from the heart, to every viewer.
Cheers,
Skye