The Pandemic has been the perfect illustration that crisis and opportunity coexist. The works in this group were created during that time. My plans were cancelled. I could not travel. I could not wander far from home. I needed to embrace my home and the stillness that was offered. These images are printed on a translucent vellum paper and are then gilded by hand on the reverse side. The translucent vellum and the illumination with gold on the reverse side create a luminosity that varies with the light. The process is a contemplative one in that the work takes time, quiet, and a steady hand. The images I select for this work could have been made yesterday or decades ago. For some of my images, I choose vellum and gold leaf because the light seems to come from another time to illuminate the spirits that remain. If all work is autobiographical, this body of work reflects my lifelong love of art, history, and 19th century literature, but will also remind me of a fortunate immersion during a dark time.
Copyright 2023 @ Donna Wesley Spencer Photography
