A few years ago, I bought a small container of a pigment called Maya Blue, something I was initially attracted to because of the color alone. I've since learned that the history and significance of the pigment go beyond simple aesthetics. Its sourcing and longevity have made it unique among natural colors. Its color is surprisingly challenging to mimic, somehow simultaneously a blue-green and an earth tone.
The series of pieces I've been working on, KAPPA, or RIVER CHILDREN, utilize this fascinating pigment to one degree or another. Coupling this blue-green with different binders and supports achieves something unique and unpredictable. Its color is evocative of the rivers in which the legendary Kappa were said to dwell, so it seemed inevitable that the fluid, physical motion that creates these paintings and the early blue of this pigment would pair with one another.
