Laurie Goddard

This body of abstract landscapes comprises reflections of time spent in Italy, Japan and Western Massachusetts as well as distillations of their cultures. The gilding and patination of each panel requires intense deliberation, while the under- and over-painting is gestural and expressionistic. The result can be seen as a cool amalgam of a moment or a lifetime.

This process, the addition and subtraction of color and the manipulation of the leaf through patination, pushes the limits of water-based mediums, and forces their compatibility with metals. Through this tension and transformation the work becomes a travelogue of modern and antique imagery.

The Asian influence on my work comes from study of Japanese architecture and calligraphy. The Italian influence is from a few wonderful years living in Milan, extensive travel in the region, and subsequent return visits. Western Massachusetts, where I now live, provides inspiration in the form of ever-changing beauty and urgency. In my attempt to reveal underlying structures and reconnect eras, I have come to realize that these three references are wonderfully compatible.

Description of the process:
Gessoed hardwood panels are Gilded with combinations of semi-precious leaf such as silver, copper, Dutch metal (a brass-like alloy), and metallic powders. The leaf is prepared and applied in the traditional manner. The patinas are arrived at using recipes from Henry Moore among others - over a period of days. There is sometimes under-painting below the leaf, which I then reveal in the gilding process; often there is over-painting, using wash and glazing techniques, all with water-based mediums. Finally they are varnished, again with water-based mediums.

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