have had some time in the studio this month. My friend Mike Petro, from the undergraduate days at CCAD, sent me four paired panels to experiment with.

   Both Mike and I share a love of the landscape and have utilized that visual connection since our studio time in college.  He was gracious to start this collaboration by making some interpretations of the Olympic Range in watercolor followed by an acrylic sealer. I began the project by flipping each panel 90 degrees to enhance the vertical qualities of his horizon lines. After some initial mark making I was tempted to go for some collaging of scraps laying around my work area. This process allowed me to start breaking up the space with new planar elements. Towards the end of my work time I chose to re-apply some gold and silver leaf in key areas, in an attempt to bring back that element which Mike included from the start of these pieces.

   I enjoy collaboration very much and this is the first grouping that Mike and I have worked on. We’ll see what comes next, Thanks Mike!