Paige Mortensen

From the interesting textures in the Ginwashi paper to the tactile nature of layering wax and watercolour, the watercolour batik process continues to fascinate me. It is like an intriguing mystery unfolding in front of me. I bring my patience, compassion and understanding to the challenges of building layers of transparent colour and wax. Choices need to be made about which colours will build on top of each other to express the feeling of the piece in progress. Equally important, are the decisions about which areas of colour to preserve with wax before another layer of colour is added. As the wax layers are applied the previous layers become more difficult to see and the painting process becomes more intuitive. When the final darks have been added the wax is ironed off. At that point I experience the excitement of finally seeing it clearly!

Whether the subject is architectural or something from nature it is a reflection of me. I usually work from my own photographs but once I am working, the photo becomes less important and my choices come intuitively. The finished pieces have a quiet, intimate presence that fascinates viewers with their soft colours and rich textures.