A few years ago I glued some patterned papers to a board with the intention of using it as the basis of a painting at some point..I liked the gold paper, and the tiger striped paper and the leopard print paper, and the piece of string ambling across the board.
This week I thought I’d actually create something with it..
I had a good look at it at all angles, as there was no right way up for the board, just whatever felt right regarding creating an image.. and I always say that 90% of creating artwork is the thinking process.
The obvious thing to me was to use the tiger striped paper as tree roots, and the gold paper as the background hills fading into the background.
The only part of the painting that is painted is the sky and the tree itself. I used acrylic paint as it was ideal for light washes and also thick layers (as in the tree foliage). Only 30% of the painting is in paint, the rest is the collage of papers… and the light wash of paint over the leopard print paper on the left hand side of the painting gives the impression of an undulating hillside.
I adore the tree roots created by the tiger print paper, only a tiny bit of the tree roots needed to be painted as the rest of the painting roots are perfect as they are.
The painting is a mixed media collage (23.5 x 17 inches) and because of the deep roots and the gold background its called ‘Tree of hope’.. which I think is perfect for it…
I love it… What do you think?
