For those that have been following along, scale by scale, of my large snake piece … it is complete! “May’s Fertile Garden” is a 24″ x 48″ detailed mixed media representation of my journey to motherhood.
Animal symbolism plays a large role in my work. I find it has much more depth than being straight-forward. It is poetic, visual and can narrate well.
This large piece started with applying antique publication clippings (July 1931 MacCalls, 1932 Armour’s Farmer’s Almanac, Pictorial Review Feb 1931) to a custom birch panel, 24″ x 48″ and 1.5″ deep. I use matte medium for archival purposed, which is a very easy “glue” to use. I then apply white paint thinly around the clippings and covering the wood. Then comes sanding to smooth the paint texture. I do a few layers of the paper, paint and sanding until it just feels right. There’s no rigid rule, just dive in until it says “ok, I’m done!”. Then I projected my initial sketch onto the board. After that comes all of the details.
The rope seems to always come first. Colored pencil of maize, brown, grey, turquoise and fuscia make up the twisted twine. The Spotted King Snake (who made his way from my parent’s backyard into this piece) was done in graphite. Lots of scales. Lots of time. Lots of books on tape. It was a meditative process. And when I needed a break, I would work on the watercolor hummingbirds. They were painted individually on watercolor paper and carefully cut & torn out. Once the living creatures were finished, I used colored pencil to draw the lunaria (Silver Dollar Plant, also having worked its way in from my parents beautiful forest). Satin archival Medium seals the entire piece and then the birds are attached, with just a little lift from each wing. I love the melding of the media and how the birds are not completely attached, which gives a feeling of weightlessness.
So what does this piece even mean?? To me, it is intertwined family support. In my journey toward motherhood, my family was a stable support. Each Ruby-throated hummingbird here is a member of my family: parents, brothers and their wives, niece and nephew and, of course, my strong and empathetic husband. The snake is yours truly, embarking on transition. But, like I always tell people, I know what it means to me and where it is rooted … but where does it take you?
Available for purchase – CLICK HERE.
Original artwork ©Emily Galusha
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