A Diptych for Jill and Tim, shown in stages of progress

This painting was done to fulfill a commission from a lovely man, Tim, in Arizona, as a Christmas present for his wife, Jill. Although I've never met Tim in person, I call him a lovely man because everything about our correspondence through emails to complete this project was so very nice. 

I let him know he was the "professional artist's dream of a customer".

It is a diptych and measures a total of 36" high by 48" wide. It is on 2" deep wood panels and the images wrap around the sides. They have the option of hanging it as it is shown here or allowing for a gap between the panels. It would work either way.

Tim and Jill had seen my work in a gallery in Massachusetts over the summer. When they returned home from traveling they contacted me and sent photos of the area in their living room where they wanted the piece to hang. They also listed two paintings they found on my website that they were drawn to. And they suggested colors that would match their room. 

Having such good guidance made my job easy, particularly knowing what other paintings of mine caught their eyes; Taking Flight and Light Marks in the Sky (shown at the bottom of this post). I was able to take elements from both of the other paintings and combine them. 

Light Marks in the Sky has a circle as a main part of the composition so I started there. 

Rice paper was torn into arc-shaped pieces and applied with matte medium,
following the edge of the circle.

A layer of yellow ochre was applied with a brush first, then scraped flat to accentuate the surface detail. I used a spatula to spread the paint, getting it into the creases and highlighting the top edges.
I broke the handle of the spatula in my enthusiasm! I also used it to score lines into the paint.

The panels had been gessoed and scored with the end of a brush before the gesso dried to give the surface interest. Those lines show up under the spatula as well as the texture and edges of the rice paper. You can also see the ripples in the Baltic birch plywood from the planer, which I don't mind.

Again the spatula is used to add a horizon line of quinacridone gold 

with accents of dark grey charcoal. 

Referring to Taking Flight this time I added the silhouette of the birds 

and the dark shape at the bottom right.

The painting is covered over again with white, using the brush to apply the paint and the spatula to spread it. I did this to give the surface more interest through the layering.

A stamp I made and a roller are used to bring the top of the painting out again, 

creating another layer.

Yellow ochre mixed with white over the top. Another layer.

The birds are brought out again by applying paint and scraping for texture. Another of my stamps over the painted surface brings back that form at the bottom. 

The original circle is accentuated with  a smear of charcoal.

Trees and details are added with charcoal pencil and paint.

Here are the two paintings that I looked at for inspiration and combined for Jill's painting which I gave the title Reflection and Intention. Tim and Jill will understand why.

Light Marks in the Sky

Taking Flight