Ede up of two layers of paper adhered to a wooden cradled panel. The top layer is the main color and the bottom layer is the secondary color. I cut out the positive space from the top layer, leaving only the negative. Then, I glue the top layer to the bottom layer piece by piece, revealing the positive shape or subject. To add depth and color, I may use a third color around the sides of the piece.
The process, as described above, continues to evolve through the years. Some pieces are silhouettes but I find interest in building layers of paper as well as exploring more abstract work.
Once all of the pieces are assembled the entire piece is coated in acrylic (see “Coatings” below).
The paper is known as Lokta. It is hand dyed* in Nepal from the fibrous bark of Daphne Cannabina (Lokta Bush). The highly sustainable plant grows at high altitudes in the Himalayas.
*Update as of 2018. I continue to use h Lokta paper, but I now color the sheets myself using a variety of acrylic washes/painting.
Once all the paper is glued together, several coats of Acrylic Medium are applied (acrylic medium is essentially acrylic paint without color pigment).
Constructed with a Baltic Birch Wood face and a smooth solid Poplar Wood cradle (frame around the back). Depths vary.