A long term fascination with egg tempera was finally put into action as the year 2002 came in. Having been through a difficult summer and fall, with moving to Florida and then going through major surgery of my husband, I felt I needed something new and exciting to focus on. My researches brought me to a book called the Luminous Brush, by Altoon Sultan which I recommend for anyone who is interested in pursuing egg tempera for themselves. Various internet websites, and my old copy of Ralph Mayer’s Artist’s Handbook helped me acquire all the equipment to begin. There are shortcuts, but I decided to go the whole route; making gesso panels using gelatin and whiting which is applied onto masonite panels. At least 6 coats are applied. It must be kept warm, in a double boiler, and later it is sanded down to an ivory smooth finish. Then pigments need to be ground in a mortar and pestle with water and saved in tightly capped jars, which are then mixed with the yolk of an egg that has been separated and carefully dried of all the white, and the yolk sac drained. This is great fun, although I have not mastered the art of doing this neatly, and managed to get egg yolk over most of my kitchen. The paint is then “tempered” (meaning to mix) with egg yolk and more water. The yolk bonds the paint into tough layers. Have you ever tried to scrape the dried egg off the breakfast dishes? Same idea here. Egg tempera has nothing to do with the paint we used in kindergarten called temperas. The paint is layered using tiny hatching strokes. The properties of the paint and egg create a marvelous luminosity that can not be duplicated with any other media. I have been working with egg tempera for two years now and I am still learning so much about this exciting medium. It is very hard to choose which medium I like the best, sort of like picking your favorite child, but egg tempera vies for my favorite every time I think about it.

If you are curious about Egg Tempera painting (very old methods of the old masters) plan to take my next workshop. Check the Schedule for the next workshop. The results of the last workshop can be found in the Students’ Gallery. Click here

Florida Storm Egg Tempera 3 x 9 Private Collection

MIDI Sequence by R.H. Czwiertnia from Classical Music MIDI page www.sciortino.net/music

Claude Debussy Arabesque No. 1 (permission pending)

EGG TEMPERA

Snoopy Rock (Sedona, Arizona) Egg Tempera 3 x 9 Private Collection

Strawberry 6 x 8

Egg Tempera $250

Portraits • Landscapes • Symbolic Still Life • Still Life • Monotype • Watercolor • Egg Tempera •

Feeling Series • Student’s Gallery • Drawing • Giclee Prints • Digital Reproduction • Purchase Paintings

Portraits • Landscapes • Symbolic Still Life • Still Life • Monotype • Watercolor • Egg Tempera •

Feeling Series • Student’s Gallery • Drawing • Giclee Prints • Digital Reproduction • Purchase Paintings

Bunch of Grapes 5 x 7

Egg Tempera private collection

The Pond at Sunset 3½ x5½

Egg Tempera $250