Piece description from the artist
Hope is a sunrise treescape made with acrylic paint and media, stiffened paper and string, along with acrylic based texture gel (coarse oxide powder embedded in clear acrylic). It is one of the works in my second series of Tree of Life Paintings.
The title refers to the mood created by a time of day often called the "Magic Hour" – right around dawn or dusk, when soft light seems to suffuse the sky. The light coming from all over the sky softens all of the features on the ground, making them seem somehow magical. When I was young I would love this time of day because it seemed like anything was possible in that soft crepuscular light. That feeling of dawning possibilities, of the reality of change and of an imminent reset, is a powerful expression of Hope.
One of my favorite features of this painting is the complex leafing pattern that also captures some of the colors of the light in the painted background. Choosing the right colors and types of string and paper and then sculpting them into place just right to harmonize the light in painting was a challenge. I believe it was well worth the attention and effort – I personally love the colors in this one.
The paper and string features were sculpted using Golden's GAC400 medium to stiffen and fix them into place. There is a barrier layer that matches the reflectivity of the background – acrylic soft gel and matte medium underneath a final varnish layer for UV protection. The barrier layer and varnish provide moisture resistance, structural strength and stability and archival protection for the piece. If restoration or cleaning ever becomes necessary, the outer varnish can be removed with alcohol by a professional restorer. This will not affect the underlying paint and paper (because of the barrier layer).
Dr. Regina Valluzzi has an extensive scientific background in nanotechnology and biophysics. She has been a scientist in the chemical industry, a green chemistry researcher, a research professor at the engineering school at Tufts, a start-up founder engaged in technology commercialization, and a start-up and commercialization consultant.
Even during periods of intense activity as a scientist, Dr. Valluzzi has always held a strong interest in the visual arts and in visual information. While she majored in Materials Science at MIT, she also obtained a second degree in music and a minor in visual studies. Visual arts have managed to permeate her technical work; during her Ph.D in Polymer Science and Engineering at UMass Amherst, she completed a thesis that required advanced electron microscopy, image analysis, and theoretical data modeling. These experiences provided the visual insight and information that now influences much of her artwork.
Dr. Valluzzi’s work has been included in private collections across the US, UK, Germany, Canada, Japan, Netherlands, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Dubai and Malta, and in the corporate collection of "Seyfarth Shaw" Boston law offices around Boston. She has a selection of pieces on loan to the MIT Materials Science and Engineering Department as indoor public art. Her accomplishments include having published thirty articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, having made several scientific patents, having been a subject matter expert for an encyclopedia chapter, and having been invited to speak at science talks across the US, Europe, and Japan.
Her newsletter is a good source of ongoing information: http://eepurl.com/daiLQ
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