Previous Posts on Theme and Variations.
I finally finished this piece that I started back in August! I really indulged myself and just let this idea go as far as it wanted to go. This required me to ignore my usual sensibilities, such as they are, and just go for it. I have no idea what really empowered me to go take such a risk, considering all the gold and the sheer size of the work. Maybe it was over-compensation for all my years of compulsive fretting and perfectionism? No idea! But I went for it and this piece has been quite enjoyable.
Theme and Variations, prelim photo. 36” x 57” | 91cm x 145cm. Mosaic gold, black cement.
And to top it off, I indulged a curiosity about using a flat-that-was-not-at-all-flat black paint to try to achieve a consistent black background. The paint had to have been mistakenly labeled as flat because, as you can see, it is not flat. The result is either serendipitous or catastrophic. The beholder will decide.
I took quite a chance with the not-flat paint because, after applying a small amount, I was indeed curious. Of course, I knew that it would show everything, but there was an affect that I also liked. I thought, well, I am taking a risk with the entire thing anyway, so let’s just finish it out in the same vein. I thought that if I just couldn’t be satisfied with it, I could paint it over with a truly flat paint. We’ll see.
Now, how to photograph this gold beast, as a friend calls it. These photos were taken as it is still on my worktable and the lighting is quite uneven. It is very large and heavy, and with all the gold and with the not-flat background, I have little confidence that I will be able to get decent photos. But I will try before I tackle a strategy for professional photos.
Theme and Variations, detail