During the COVID lockdowns I adopted many office plants that where abandoned to a dire fate. I happily painted a bunch of them - and ultimately kept the ones I fell in love with. This Watermelon Peperomia, or Peperomia Argyreia, in cheerful green is one of them. Keep it close to your heart.
I make my own paint, in this case egg tempera, also called tempera. Tempera is made from egg yolk and pigments and is extremely durable. It has a soft satin shine which I love. I use natural chalk and animal glue to make my own gesso. Gesso is the underlayer which I apply to the panel before painting it. The process of tempera painting on gesso on a wooden panel dates back to before medieval times. It allows for light to be reflected from the white gesso, wich makes a painting seem to light up from within.
Watermelon Peperomia (from the series My Lockdown Plants)
H 21.5 cm x W 14.0 cm D 2.0 cm
Original artwork hand painted with tempera on gessoed wood board. Tempera is a very strong paint that wil stand the test of time, as medieval icons prove. The gesso in this painting is cracked slightly on the top of the painting. This is a natural process and has no effect on the quality of the painting, nor on it longevity. In one place the gesso has chipped during drying (last photo). Again, this can happen and has no effect on the art work. This art work needs no care other than dusting with a soft lint-free cloth every once in a while. Signed on the back, unframed. Be aware that colors may differ slightly in reality as all monitors differ.