Original artwork description:

In the sandstone regions of Sydney, Australia picture stories etched on rock ledges by past indigenous owners survive.
My picture is inspired by this place and etchings I saw there.
My drawing of a girl lying on a rock is stratified by layers of sandstone powder and polymer varnish to embed it in the surface of the picture – to approximate an etching on a stone surface.
About sandstone:
In my past, I lived in Sydney, Australia. On weekends I spent hours drawing the rock formations along the Hawkesbury River. I was lost in the spirit of this river, with its cliffs, caves and huge flat ledges. Etched images by ancient indigenous inhabitants survived.
On one such occasion, I collected pieces of coloured stone in yellow, purple, white and red tones. These I ground to powder and stored for future use.
In the year 2013, I became inspired to use the coloured sandstone in this series of paintings.
The challenge resulted in my new knowledge of sandstone techniques.

Materials used:

Mixed media. Acrylic paints and India ink.Textured finish is achieved with ground sandstone sprinkled onto polymer glue. Securely sealed with matt varnish, vigorously brushed on to make a milky effect. On 240 gsm cartridge paper.

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