A New Surface for Acrylic Paintings

What a great idea! I went downtown to the garment district in Los Angeles and purchased a lot of polyester lining fabric. The stuff is indestructable and easy to work with. I stretched it on bars and painted it with gesso. The gesso went all the way through, so the back is sealed too, a bonus.

The resulting surface had a lovely tooth. I still liked canvas better for charcoal, but the polyester was great for pastel. At the time, I was drawing angels, because Pasadena had an art auction to benefit AIDS, and the subject was angels. The subject was well suited to this unique support.

If you want to create a pastel painting with especially delicate, luminous colors, give gessoed polyester lining fabric a try! Stretch the cloth on standard bars before laying on the ground. If you coat your finished work with a glaze of acrylic, it can be displayed without glass.

Everything about a picture contributes to its effect--the size, the shape, the pigment carrier, and the support. Playing around with one or another can open a whole new world.

Angels

Where are angels?
Do they swoop
down from clouds
to save us
Do they sing
from the skies?
I have met them
many times
but their wings
lie behind their eyes
and their halos
are hidden in their hearts.
Sometimes, they infuriate me
because I do not want to hear;
Other times, they comfort me
with the only two words
behind all of the others
they seem to say:
Fear not.