"Aspens (4)"

($40.00.....mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)

"Aspens are like gold coins shimmering in the breeze." This is the last of the aspen series. For me, it was the perfect way to end up November and appreciate what God has created for us to enjoy. Thanksgiving has passed, but hopefully it will be in our hearts every day of the year.

Combining and exploring techniques has been one of the joys of working in mixed media. I truly appreciate and enjoy my friends who work in total realism, but for me, the idea of coming up with totally different looks that include lettering is my true passion. And I tend to want to do something for a few days and even weeks, but then I sense something within telling me to combine the things I know, add something new, and let the images continue to "morph" into something else.

Before going on to explore something else, I do need to say something else about lettering on top of pouring medium which is the top layer on the last six days of photography. I have used the same lettering style for the Aspen series. Moon Palace (diluted a bit) and a Mitchell (6) were the ink and nib used. And even though Moon Palace ink is very black and dense, one pass over this surface was not adequate. I did go over each letter again to make it bold. It does take practice to go over the same letter and place your pen in the exact same place again. It requires your best vision and best lighting arrangement. I have noticed that some of my script students are not always prepared to use a magnifying jeweler's hat or reading glasses even though they have trouble seeing up close. If you truly want to letter, it is imperative to be able to see well up close....especially if you're trying to retrace a letter.

I did use some background pencil lettering and lines in this series and in much of my other work. There is a softness and hand lettered quality to pencil lines....even more so than pen and ink. Pencil lines indicate a human presence even more than ink because it is similar to doing a sketch or a preliminary study. It is so compelling that even non lettering mixed media artists like to include pencil. These are just some things to try or think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.