gives it a delicate profile on the wall. I adore the texture of the wood
because of the ways in which my first layer of color, the underpainting,
gets preserved in the crevices. The end result is more complex color.
The plywood is sealed on all sides for finish and perhaps some added stability.
While plywood flexes slightly with humidity, it doesn't expand or contract
nearly so much as canvas, which goes through endless cycles of sagging
in the frames then pulling drum-taut. I never have to worry about
warping as with stretcher bars. It is a tough working ground that can take
a lot of scraping, scrubbing and flat-out carving. I would work in plywood
at all sizes if the weight didn't become such a problem, as well as the
need for bracing. Past a certain size, I switch to canvas.
All works on plywood are designed to float about 1/3" from the wall, by
virtue of tacks installed in the lower back corners that act as spacers.
Here is a similar painting, installed.
I seal the front, working side of the plywood with artist' gesso, which
provides a stable, predictable ground for the oil paint and minimizes
undesirable changes over time. Oil paint becomes more translucent as it
ages. Setting aside any question of paint adhesion, if I did not prime
the painting surface, it is likely that at some point the color and grain
of the plywood would begin to show through in unanticipated ways. I seal the
sides and back with acrylic paint.
As for many artists, my choice of materials is ultimately emotional.
My family consists of dedicated DIY-ers (Do It Yourself). My childhood
was something like a series of construction sites; extensive home projects
were just what you did to have fun on the weekends. Plywood was a part of my
life then and I like to have it around now.
I value the humble and hand-worked over machined, perfect finishes. I personally
like it that the sides of the paintings look like-- plywood. If this part
of my aesthetic is too rough or low-budget for a collector, these small
works are easily framed. They can look quite formal.