Vertical #3, 2008

This long sheet ( 78" x 42") of vertical watercolor paper has a surface that is nearly impossible to photograph, perhaps looking at the detail can help. The paper has been prepared in the same way as Tuhgras were during the Ottoman Empire. It is a labour intensive process which I love. It takes several days to create the surface which is smooth and luminescent. I first stretch the paper, then stain it with a background made of natural pigments, then I coat the paper with a mixture of wheat starch and fish gelatin, another coat is applied of egg white and alum. Finally the paper is ready for burnishing with a small agate stone over several days. Then I begin the top layer consisting of line work. I work on a ladder to begin with and slowly make my lines by dipping a steel nib into ink and only breathe between lines. The lines are as fine as a strand of hair. The work is a meditative process and I am in a state of grace. Doors, windows, and passageways often appear when my mind rests in this calm and quiet space. This drawing is larger than a standing person and is is like a doorway. It is an invitation to find a weightless space that is a source of quietude.