The ancient art of grottesca painting...

Two men, each with the tail of a lion, sit facing each other atop stone pedestals. In their hands they are holding oversized candelabras. But instead of a candle, you find a sort of mermaid with not one, but two fish tails. And look! This mermaid has the wings of a damselfly, and with her muscular arms she is holding a rod that carries a giant swag of fruit and laurel leaves. Does that sound like something out of the twilight zone? Well what if I said that what I've just described is a portion of a beautiful work of art, in fact similar scenes are the subject matter of a popular art form...it's called the art of grottesca.

Ancient grottesca panel in a "grissaile" style.

Grottesca, also referred to as "grottesche" in Italian, is defined as: "A style of painting, sculpture, and ornamentation in which natural forms and monstrous figures are intertwined in bizarre or fanciful combinations...with no reference to reality or common sense." In English, this painting style is called "grotesque". It may seem then, that this style was so named because those who first discovered it found it to be, well, ugly. That assumption, however, would be incorrect. In the late 15th Century, excavations of Roman emperor Nero’s Domus Aurea (Latin for "Golden House") revealed unusual fresco paintings much like the one described above. The ornamentation was illusionistic and included figurative beings in so-called theatrical settings, in what appeared to be a complete fantasy world. Although the excavators did indeed find the painting style to be a bit strange - unlike anything their modern world had seen - they named it grottesca because of the location in which it was found. When the frescoes were uncovered in a series of rooms underground (as they had become over the course of time), the term "grotto" (grotta in Italian) was associated with the paintings. Grotto is a word which means "small cave or cavern". Apparently the terms "grotta" and "grottesca" became accidentally intertwined at some point in history and therefore the style finally became known as grottesca.

Grottesca is also known as what makes up the fourth Pompeian style of fresco painting.

After word got out of the paintings at Domus Aurea, artists of that time flocked to the site to study the works. By the turn of the sixteenth century, grotesque ornamentation was turning up in contemporary works by artists such as Pietro Perugino and Luca Signorelli. Other artists quickly followed suit, namely Raphael Sanzio whose grottesca panels found in the loggias of the Vatican in Rome made the art popular once again.

An artist's (Pietro Camporesi) rendition of the Loggias of Raphael; grottesca ornamentation covers virtually all surfaces.



Artist's engraving of a panel from the Raphael Loggias (Ludovicus Tesio Taurinensis)

What intrigues me about the art of grottesca ornamentation is the brilliant use of color and style. The fantasy and illusion make my imagination soar, and it has that old world element that I love. What I find interesting is that although it is a centuries-old art form, each generation was able to modify it, creating designs that tell the stories of that particular time period. While following the basic principles of grottesca painting, one can create a collage of items and elements that are unique to them.

One of my own creations, I used varying shades of gold on an ebony plastered backdrop. (stencil by Nicola Vigini)

A recent mural panel I completed in the "Pompeii" style of grottesca.

Window mural step by step:

I was recently commissioned to do a tapestry mural by a woman who wanted to give her sister in California a unique gift. After contacting me through my website, she told me that there were a few important elements that needed to be included in the scene...specifically a butterfly, a glass of wine, and a bottle of Riesling. So after coming up with a sketch, we agreed on a basic design. I sent the mural today, hopefully her sister will be pleased. I decided to take photos as I went along, so others could see what it is that I do. So what does it take to paint a mural anyway?

Step one, well actually there are several steps to get to "step one". First I tone my canvas with a burnt umber mixture to get rid of the stark white of the canvas. Then I have to draw out the design, measuring everything with a level and ruler to make sure all my lines are straight and the right size. I usually use a watercolor pencil because it is dissolved as I paint and there are no pencil lines left over at the end. To achieve the arch I attach my pencil to a string which is taped in the center. Next I tape off the areas I don't want to get paint on and begin to fill in the base colors in the landscape, and then around the architecture. This first layer generally looks pretty horrible, and I can see the nervousness in many of my clients faces at this stage. But, of course, it gets better.

Step two is when I begin to lay in some of the background detail, defining various objects. Here you can begin to see the trees cascading over the hills in the distance.


Step three is more of the same, layering colors to give the illusion of depth. Now my brush strokes are more deliberate, and the viewer can begin to distinguish a few blades of grass.


For step four I've softened the hills and mountains in the distance, putting a transparent glaze over the entire area to give the feeling of great distance between them and the foreground. I've also randomly painted in the poppy field, layering a few colors there as well. Some highlights have already been put in, and I am now ready to work on the wine bottle and glass.


Step five consists of more layering and highlights to make the glass and bottle appear to be really sitting there on the window ledge. But something important is missing, because as they stand now these items appear to be floating in space. Can you guess what is needed?

What a difference the shadows make! For step six I've "grounded" the trompe l'oeil items (bottle, glass) by painting in the shadows. Shading and shadows also help define the architectural elements. I'm almost done! I just need to darken up those shadows a bit more, add some highlights, and put in the sky.

Voila! It always feels so good when it's finally complete!

Painted Tapestry Wall Hangings

The proud peacock overlooking a French waterscape scene.

The soft colors of the background scene compliment the bold hues of the peacocks feathers.

The border has been bronzed and gilded, and mica powders were used for the peacock feathers to give them a natural iridescence.

The art of tapestry-making goes back for centuries adorning the castes, estates, and villas of ancient times. Traditionally tapestries have been hand-woven using the finest fabrics. However, I've tried to create a unique spin on the ancient art, not with a needle and thread but with paintbrush and palette. I like to use gilded designs in the paintings around the border to give them a more luxurious feel.

This particular tapestry painting was the first one I had done, and after I finished I was so happy that the client decided to take a chance on a new idea as I was very proud of the way it turned out. It was a learning experience for me, and I've since tweaked the way the rod pockets are made. These are a lot of fun to do, and they've been a popular item for me with commissions from the Bahamas, Florida, and California to name a few.

These are a few of my favorite things...

I am naturally drawn to bright colors, shapes, and textures. Whether it be for inspiration for my artwork, or items I choose to decorate my home with, the following are just a few of my favorite things. Their beauty, uniqueness, vibrant color, and the design of these items are just a few of the elements that capture my eye.

1. "Flaming June" by Lord Frederic Leighton [English Classicist Painter and Sculptor, 1830-1896]. There is just something about the colors he's chosen, the bright coral color of her dress contrasted by the soft pinks of her skin and the ivory of the architectural elements. I'm also attracted to the way the fabric in her dress flows softly, draping over her body appearing almost transparent in some areas. I can't imagine the amount of time and work that went into the intricate detail of this painting. For more on Leighton, visit Wikipedia's page on the artist.

Photo: Roger Beau

2. Venice, Italy's Carnivale. There's something about the fantasy of it all joined with the fact that it takes place in beautiful Venice that makes Carnivale one of my favorite things.

Photo: Flikr

3. I think what I most like about the Carnivale celebration is the makeup, costume, and last but not least the masks. The painstaking artistic detail is evident in the authentic artisan crafted masks from Italy. Traditionally made out of paper mache, they are adorned with all sorts of feathers, ribbon, gold leaf, glitter, jewels, fabric and decorative papers. Other features are meticulously hand painted. A great variety of styles can be seen and ordered from The Venetian Mask Shop.

Photos: Artistica

Photo: Talavera Emporium

4. Majolica (Italy) and Talavera (Portugal/Mexico) ceramics are both stunningly beautiful art forms. In each country, different regions have their own tell-tale designs. Common colors used are deep reds, yellows, blues, and greens typically on a white background. Designs vary from intricate to primitave, and are always hand painted by artisans who pride themselves in their work.

Embellishing with decorative painting...

This is a very recent project in which the client had seen a photo of a painted mantel and fireplace in a magazine, and wanted to duplicate it. In fact, they designed the entire edition to their home around the fireplace! Friend and fellow decorative painter Andreas Scholz contacted me to help out on the project.

We brought at least 10 different stencil designs to the site and mixed and matched elements from each stencil to come up with a similar, but unique finished artwork.

The first layers were stenciled in varying shades of gold, followed by hand painting in several shades of red, green, and brown.

The fireplace ended up being the perfect focal point of the room, which is what the clients had hoped for.

The one I'm most proud of...

For my very first post I want to share what is, to date, my favorite mural project. This mural depicts a French landscape scene. In the distance the viewer can see the beautiful villa Gordes, located in scenic Provence, France. In real life, the stone buildings - built in tight against the base of the cliffs of Plateau de Vaucluse - are made of an beige stone that glows orange in the morning sun. The design also includes classic architectural elements such as the coffered dome, stone columns, and a weathered urn which perfectly frame this rich and vibrant landscape scene. I had the pleasure of working under French artist Pascal Amblard on this mural. The design is taken from one of his French landscape murals, a subject matter he is famous for.

Photo: Jay Stienke

I love paintings that include trompe l'oeil elements such as architectural features. It adds so much character to a piece of art, not to mention makes for a very convincing, realistic scene. But for it to be a true trompe l'oeil painting the linear perspective must be correct, which can be a challenge on such a large piece. This particular mural measures roughly 4' x 7'. In contrast with small canvas paintings in which you can use rulers and pencil compasses, for large murals you have to improvise using large levels, straight edges, and even string. And I'm certainly no expert when it comes to perspective, but I believe I can wing it most of the time. I usually try to brush up of my perspective drawing every few years taking advantage of the various classes I find locally.