Ixora Flower

HAND PAINTED PHOTOGRAPHS:
These special 1 of 1 original art pieces are printed on beautifully textured Mulberry paper. The paper is 22x31 inches. The process begins with treating the Mulberry either with an oyster shell pigment, hand made by Erika, or a golden paint. The original created image is then printed on a special transparency film with Epson Ultrachrome ink, tested to last over 200 years. The transparency goes through a special process, transferred onto the Mulberry paper. During this process wrinkles occur that add to the depth and texture of the art. Once dried and prepped, Erika then hand paints on the image with gold ink and other acrylic.

The printing process is as much an art as the creation of the images themselves. I start with a solid foundation of Mulberry Paper. Mulberry is a tough wood that resists rot and bugs, and the paper does not tear easily. The Mulberry tree has a significant meaning of the transforming power of faith. The wrinkles/cracks in the paper that occur during the transfer process symbolize brokenness. These cracks add beauty and character to the finished work as true beauty comes through brokenness. The translucence of the flora gives us a glimpse of what is beneath the surface of the human spirit. The layering of my images with human and flora embodies a divine longing for connection with nature. The process reveals to us the revelation of beauty in brokenness and prepares the way for beauty to take hold and entangle us.