"Nova" in the mango patch

[Julie Deane]

Cool, Mike! I really like this piece.

About the frame - did you design it deliberately so that it looks like his arm continues outside the frame (the lines of the arm lining up with the curlicues)?

[Mike McCarty]

Patricia,

It was fun to do. I am the type that wants to resolve everything down to the nth and this surface would not allow that. It forced me to paint in a way that I have always wanted. I think having completed this it will give me more confidence to loosen up.

Maybe it will ... After racing through the face and hand I found myself tightening up toward the bottom of the piece and it started looking like two different paintings. This is the main reason I cropped it off.

Julie,

Actually I didn't even notice how that connected. But from now on I will swear that it was my intention.

[Sharon Knettell]

Mike,

That frame is gorgeous.

I forgot to ask about the paper as I am such a maven. Where did you get it and what was the compostion cotton, wood pulp?. Was it handmade? Did you have problems with the surface?

[Mike McCarty]

Sharon,

I got the paper at my local art supply store. They have many different types of these specialty papers draped over dowel rods. I don't know if it is hand made, I'm not sure what that means. I would guess that it is wood fiber.

As far as problems with the surface -- I don't think I had any beyond what you might expect from such an organic surface. It is pressed about as tight as it can be, but there is plenty of texture to it. These leaves are not just pictures of leaves, they are real leaves. However, I found that if you make your mark, do your business and move on, it remained pretty stable.

As far as the oil seeping -- I think it was more visible in the first few days than it is now. It seems to have soaked in and dissipated.

I bought some of the Golden Archival spray varnish. After testing it on scrap I've decided not to use it. Because of the rather furry nature of the surface, even if not completely visible, the varnish will end up suspending over the surface on these tiny furry particles -- not a good thing.

I've had this frame for a long time. It's made of solid pine and is a real chunk.

[Tom Edgerton]

Mike--

This is a really interesting and delightful piece. It will be a reminder to me to ALWAYS be challenging myself and to try new things. (Nice frame too.)

Thanks a lot--TE

[Mike McCarty]

Thank you Tom.

I did entertain myself with this.