Kathy Kissik
Poison Garden
Inspired by the Alnwick Garden London: the small but deadly Poison Garden—filled
exclusively with around 100 toxic, intoxicating, and narcotic plants.
Poison: something harmful. Garden: as a verb it means to cultivate; as a place it
is a fertile delightful spot. The dichotomy of life. Yin and yang. We are drawn to
the shadow side and it is necessary in order to discern the light. A crow flies in
for her nightly visit. Her black textured feathers are painted with light absorbing
singularity oil paint. She carves a heavy silhouette against the layered flora.
Beacons of 22k gold stigmas and stamens beckon with promises of biohazard,
radioactive, poison pollen. Danger dances around the composition in sterling,
gold, and mica. Composed of materials symbolic of wealth and industry. A life
blood palette of pinks, blues, purples and reds provide a lush landing. The
artwork's proportions and scale provide the viewer with a sense of standing
before a Gothic stained glass window illuminated with moonlight.
IN H: 54 W: 32
CM H: 137 W: 81
Acrylic, oil paint,, new media, ink, gel medium, mica powder, silver leaf,
22 gold leaf, varnish on canvas 2021