25 April 2025
Pleased with recent experiments painting on panel. The wood grain with transparent gesso feels like a tiny revelation. Two elements to react against right off the bat widens the scope of possibility instantly; forward and back, cross-hatching brushstrokes with grain and primed surface, etc. Aubrey Levinthal related. There was also a moment where I had a panel I was painting resting on a nail on the wall, which interrupted a first layer acrylic wash so that a little portal to the raw/primed wood remained behind the head of the nail. That felt exciting too and has me thinking about the possibility of stenciling or subtraction in future constructions. I also like that I don't have to stretch a panel—just prime and go. Think they'll be my new home, at least for a while.