My Methods and Materials
Gesso
Most of my paintings are painted on a ground I prepare myself after an ancient recipe. Chalk and Glue are mixed and applied in many thin layers. When this dries and is sanded, it makes a beautiful ground for all sort of media. Recently I have also started using chalk from the south coast of England I ground up myself, it makes a beautiful textured surface.
Paints
Mixed with different media such as egg tempera, linseed, poppy or walnut oil, gum arabic, casein, to name a few, the pigments are held together as paint.
Inks, stains and dyes
I use plant dyes to give my paper a beautiful hue as a background colour for painting. I learnt this as part of traditional Persian miniature painting.
Pigments
Earth, rocks, bones, charcoal, ashes, bricks, rust, acetates, oxides ground and refined make beautiful natural pigments I use in my work
Gilding
I apply gold leaf to some of my work.
Carving
Woodcarving and plaster carving methods have hardly changed over hundreds of years. I love working with these materials to create ornamental wood and plaster carvings.