Each work in this series is an homage to the Byzantine Icon and other forms of religious portraiture. The intention of these paintings was to create a sense of eternity, in contrast, my goal was to emphasize the decay that occurs over time and capture the forceful nature of that process. Along with the physical forces that act upon the figures, the painterly marks, the flow of liquified materials, and the partial erasure of the various layers of material act to symbolize the effect of time and the tension of familial relationships as they evolve, dissolve, and reconstitute themselves in newer forms, who’s permanence is uncertain.

This series of portraits arose from a multi- step process, that melds disciplines ranging from printmaking to drawing to painting, in order to challenge both methods of production. At the beginning of the process, the base portraits are broken down into one or more halftone layers that are then applied to a set of silkscreens. From this point the process branched into two distinct methods of working, additive and resistive.

In the additive works the silkscreens are used to apply a water-based glue to the surface of the paper, before glue fully set, the paper was flooded with earthen pigment. This process was repeated multiple times to construct the portraits, in between the layers of pigment, powdered graphite and charcoal were added to the surface in selective areas to add a contrasting element that anchors the figures in the picture plain. Rather than use a brush to paint the surface, water and a rust-based solution are poured and sprayed onto the surface to erode and redeposit pigment and graphite as they naturally flow across the surface, canned air canisters were later utilized to splatter and spread the liquid once it had begun to settle on the surface.

Where as, in the resistive process the silkscreen is used to selectively apply water based polyurethane onto the surface of the paper. Once the paper has been sealed, colored solutions are poured and sprayed on to the paper in order to color the unsealed areas of the paper. As the liquids drain away from the sealed areas of the paper the printed image takes form.

These processes emphasize the tenuous nature of familial relationships and the meticulous process of maintaining and rebuilding one’s personal relationships. Here, the erosion and deposition of material allude to the diverse pathways that express decay and regeneration.