"Cactus and Tenacity"

($40.00....6" x 6"...mounted on a 1/8" depth clayboard panel)


"Cactus and tenacity are synonymous." Tenacity is the characteristic of keeping a firm hold of property, principles, life, etc. No matter what kind of weather we have in this state, the cactus plant prevails. Against all odds, it never goes away. It even overtakes a pasture. That's what tenacity does. It stays firm...no matter what!

Today's piece is very graphic. The combination of one color, silver or white, and black will yield a strong graphic look. Acrylic color was applied over a textured gesso base. At this point, it is difficult to imagine the end product because it looks so unfinished.

That unfinished look and sense that you might not know where you're going is the very essence of layering. It is very experimental and requires a knowledge of enough techniques to know how to bring the whole thing together. Always thinking about shapes is the best way to keep yourself on track. So after applying the green colors all over, I then laid down the silver which created my first shape. You cannot go wrong by thinking edge to edge. Now if the image is just floating in your design space, if will be much harder to bring it all together so establish a shape first and then placement of your image will become obvious. The cactus was a lino cut printed on silk tissue paper and applied over the silver leaf. Finally, the other shapes were established by using color that would contrast with the existing values. It all boils down to shapes and values. If you can get those two things established, you will be on a good track.

And there you have it. Just a few more things to think about.


Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.