"unearthing: rocky treasures" is a mixed media work by Indiana artist Rejon Taylor. He uses Golden Fiber Paste, sand, thick gesso, and acrylic paint to create his richly textured artwork. The painting itself measures 20 x 24." It is framed in a beautiful warmish-toned wooden "floater" frame to the dimensions of 21 x 25.5"
In this series of paintings, "unearthing," Rejon uses bold textures and earth-toned color palettes to reflect his yearning for the natural world. For more than half his life, Rejon has been denied all access to the outdoors, sunshine, even a glimpse of the moon from windows purposely painted over to obscure any relation to the outside world. Yet still, he paints, writes, and finds a sense of self through the creative process. More than anything, Rejon wishes to share his creative spirit beyond the walls of his confinement and to be a voice for those who have no voice.
Artist's statement about this work:
"The impressions for this work are more alive and vivid than "plant life". When I was a kid, I remember digging in the soil, my shovel scrapping against rocks, stones, hard minerals underground. After unearthing them, I would water them down, washing away dirt, its reddish color like rust. Metallic flakes, engrained in the treasures, would sparkle in the sunlight. Cool colors would speck shades of grey. In our house, we had other hard minerals found in nature, rocks and stones that my dad had purchased at some home-and-garden boutique. I still remember the amazing colors inside the stones, how warm and cool tones emoted a kind of life, a subtle life that resonated my being. I remember how the rocks felt in my hand. Some were smooth and sleek, perhaps polished. Others were jagged, rough, weathered. This piece is a conflation of those impressions."
