Sticks & Stones #62

I was submitting this piece along with other new work to the Artful Home and realized that I had never posted this little painting on the blog! I painted it in late May. Somehow, it just never got on the blog radar…

It’s the first time I had ever tried Yupo which is a synthetic paper. Yupo is very different from traditional paper. It’s more like vellum than paper. It definitely feels synthetic. I know a lot of artists like it and how it accepts washes, but the way I work is different since I texturize the surface before painting. In this case, I used several applications of molding paste so it just felt like I was painting on a hardboard or canvas since I texturize those surfaces in exactly the same way. But the beauty of Yupo is that there is absolutely no shrinkage or buckling, which happens with traditional paper when it reacts with the moisture of the pastes and paints. I love that!

This painting started out as a set, but its companion isn't working quite so well and will likely take a dramatic turn. But this one I like, its soft colors and natural elements seem soothing. Anyway, it should be up on the Artful Home by week’s end.

Sticks & Stones #62
20" x 20", acrylic on Yupo