Plenty of dark shadows could swallow us up whole, but if we keep the light of hope central to the path in front of us, it becomes part of our journey and helps us navigate the unknown. Hope springs eternal, and it begins simply with the thought that it could exist. This acrylic painting is my response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

I created this artwork style, which I call my "Tile-Inspired Series" because of my love for the ceramic art tiles from the early 1900s. Grueby, Rookwood, Teco (among others) were creating beautiful decorative narratives with their landscape tiles. Since my medium is paint, I wanted to stay true to my roots and try to create a new style of painting that evokes a similar feeling to the tiles of yesteryear.

I start with an acrylic panel, then add sculptural molding compounds to the surface to create the high relief that's seen in the white outlines of the shapes. Once it's dry, I can sand the forms and then I let the acrylic paint pool in the reservoirs I've created to get a glaze-like effect.