Humanity Gradient

14 in x 28 in,

9/24

The idea here was to lay down a base layer of a neutral grey color with a palette knife, and to lay it down thick with heavy impasto (texture). It took a full two days to dry - an eternity for acrylic paint! Then, I used a large mop brush to dab the surface with varying shades of light-to-dark browns each referencing a hue of human skin complexion. I went from color to color with the mop brush without even cleaning it, relying on blending and mixing on the painting to add interest to the ombre effect. Throughout the piece, the grey background is visible at certain angles because the surface colors were dabbed on rather than applied fully. To me, the piece represents the complexity of humanity - that each of us is basically the same underneath, that each of us matters no matter what color our skin is, and that each of us has our own unique "bumps" that add to our individuality.