Ruby Sekhmet: Anatomy Of A Painting

Ruby Sekhmet
Egg tempera on gessoed plywood board
40cm x 40 cm
November 2015

My latest work is my first official foray into creating works using egg tempera.

I have been studying Iconography and Icon Painting under a tutor this year, and have amassed quite a collection of pigments to mix with the egg and create new colours of my own.

Egg tempera is quite different to working with acrylics, and the painting itself requires a different approach. The art work has a dimension to it that creates a unique feel all its own.

I have painted on a pre-prepared gessoed plywood surface, but have also been learning how to create same using fabric, rabbit skin blue and the chalky substance (that ultimately makes gesso).

The piece continues a theme I began in my previous work, Triple Sekhmet, but was inspired by a friends trip to the Egyptian Museum in Turin earlier this year. A particularly stunning Sekhmet statue leapt out at me from the photos and videos he took and I knew I wanted to render Her like this.

The original inspiration of the painting

I continue earlier themes of hexagonal patterning in the background. (Winged Set and Downloading Netjer are the canvases I refer to).

I am finding inspiration through natural minerals at the moment, and have had great success working with a healing modality called The Liquid Crystals this year. (This will not be the last time you read me mentioning this).

It is the first time that I have "signed" a painting.

Below I feature the piece in various stages of completion, as well as some practice boards.