Journey

18x18x1.5 acrylic. Reactive metallic particles, sand, crackle paste, on a wood panel.

I started this piece in 2015 and completed it in 2026. I found it high on a shelf in my garage and added a protective coat of acrylic to finish it. I had forgotten. Three figures move across the panel, glowing green against a ground of rust and umber. The green is copper paint, treated with an acidic activator so it patinas on its own terms. The rust comes from iron particles doing the same. I don't fully control either — I set the conditions and let the chemistry finish the painting. The figures come from pedestrian walking signs, a source I've been pulling into the work since 2013. Same stencil each time, and yet no two ever come out the same. Six small squares run along the bottom edge — a quiet counterweight to the movement above.