Burlap!

I wanted to share a new medium I've been working on.  At the suggestion of my artist friend Amber, I have tried painting oysters on canvas wrapped in burlap.  I think it's a great idea since burlap reminds me of the the sacks in which you purchase fresh oysters.

I have plenty of burlap around, believe it or not, because I use it for table covers when displaying my artwork for outdoor shows.  I cut it and wrapped it around these 6x6 gallery canvases.  Then I painted three different oysters.  In the photo below, you can see that the canvas on the far left is underpainted in gray.  I then applied a gloss gel medium on top of the burlap to give a better painting surface.  I then painted the oyster in acrylic.  For the middle canvas, the underpainting is a light green.  The gel medium is matte and I painted the oyster in acrylic.  On the far right, I painted on raw burlap, and painted the oyster in oil.  My husband likes the raw burlap because it's the most rustic and raw, but it's harder to paint on.  What do you think?  I am also considering the idea of adding a thick, gloss coating on the top.

6x6" Oysters - Oil or Acrylic on Burlap Covered Canvas, by Jennifer F. Allen, $39 each.

I have hung these three pieces at Five Gold Monkeys in Mobile, AL, so if you are in the area, you can check them out for yourself.  I think they are really unique!  Or, if you'd like me to create a custom color combination, I'd love to hear your ideas.

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