vermi11ion post 1

The perfect pigment is not so easy to find. I narrowed down my search to two different Goldens, one Liquitex Heavy Body and one Liquitex Basics. I am painting 11 4’x4’ and 8 8”x10” paintings in less than a year and need something economical that will cover well. I was really thankful that the least expensive tube won me over on the most important color of this exhibition. Liquitex Basics Cadmium Red Deep.

When mercury and sulfur are mixed, alchemy happens. It creates vermillion. A beautiful deep red pigment. Ultimately deadly. Artists now paint with Cadmiums which are supposed to be “AP non-toxic”.

Why red?  Red will signify different meanings in the exhibition. Red Flag Laws. Blood. Brake lights. My sister’s red coat. Love. Rage.

As I planned this exhibition, I’ve known I wanted to create large scale, beautiful paintings depicting something extremely painful, violent and dark. I can almost feel the colors. They have texture. This exhibition will evoke that texture through painting, installation and sound. Each of the 11 4’x4’ paintings’ backgrounds will be vermillion.

I have loved falling even deeper in love with color over the last year. I’ve read and learned a lot about the history of color. There are several books on the topic.

Does the color red represent anything significant for you?