I went beachcombing after a violent and destructive storm that hit the coast of Spain in February 2019.
One by one, I came upon these beautiful natural sponges, torn away from the sea bed and deposited on the shell line awaiting discovery.
I knew their potential, using natural sponges to create paint effects on other works.
They’ve lain dormant in a dusty corner of my atelier until today, that is.
I created a collection of colorful images inspired by the horrific fire at Notre Dame de Paris, a little later that same year. Today I have returned to this theme. This time in Black & White. Without the distraction of color, the magnificent gothic structure is pronounced.
Raw, ominous almost, powerful and looming with the ravages of fire. No flames are apparent. There are elegant brutality, honesty, and the juxtaposition of solid verses ethereal at play: humanity and spirit. Iridescent paint catches the light to create another dimension, as does the graphite drawing underneath, creeping through the paint and ink.
The sponges applied the iridescence. Two devastating events come together to create this powerful tribute to Notre Dame de Paris.
You're welcome to check out my full gallery of Notre Dame de Paris called Blaze.
