Image Description
"Out of Dust" is an original impressionist oil painting depicting a vibrant pink blossoms of an old-world or vintage rose bush. It was painted as a demonstration for the Society of Washington Artists by Talya Johnson. Find links to the complete 3-part demonstration here: http://www.patreon.com/creation?alert=2&hid=1263448
Behind the Canvas
I originally started this painting thinking it would be an easy subject for a demonstration for the Society of Washington Artists. I fell in love with the painting somewhere along the way.
The International Rose Test Garden, located in beautiful Portland Oregon, is the oldest of its kind in the United States. I entered the garden for the first time ever this summer. It was an amazing experience. Difficult to describe. I could just bathe in all the color, variety and fragrance. I never knew roses could grow so large, so small, so tall, and at such colors!! Some roses were dainty and elegant, others large and bold, there were old roses, new roses, single, double, and quartered, the bushes were upright, tall, climbing, rambling, crawling, and falling. And all were just roses!
I took many, many photos, most of them with a model, who was experiencing all this for the first time as well. It was a once-in-a-life-time experience that I will always cherish.
My intention was to start a body of figuratives featuring people interacting with the garden. This painting was just supposed to be for demonstration, for experience, for education purposes only.
For the demonstration, I wanted a strong abstract design to highlight the wonderful saturation range of a limited oil colour palette. I chose a larger canvas than I had painted on in quite a while to make it easier for the audience to see. I documented its making through youtube and Patreon videos. It became much more detailed than I intended. It was much more difficult that I had anticipated.
The demonstration went well. I felt so much connection to the audience, and chose to bring the pink roses oil painting to completion. At first I struggled with the meaning of this painting, its message to me. On a particular difficult day, a friend wanted to cheer me and texted lyrics to a favorite song. "You make beautiful things, you make things new, out of dust."
I found my meaning.
This painting is dedicated to my closest friends. Those that have helped me find meaning so many times through their persistence I continue to paint. It is also dictated to my first therapist who picked up my broken pieces...and taught me to make beautiful things, out of dust. ~Tali
Production & Printing
While my family and I handle the design and creation of each artwork, the printing and shipping processes are sometimes managed by professional partners who share my commitment to quality and ethics. I carefully vet all printing partners to ensure they meet my own standards of locality, rigorous environmental and labor standards.
- 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: My chosen printers use eco-friendly materials and practices, including sustainable inks and responsibly sourced wood and canvases. This commitment helps minimize the environmental impact of each print.
- 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: I collaborate with printing facilities that adhere to fair labor practices, ensuring that every person involved in the process is treated with respect and paid fairly.
By outsourcing to trusted professionals, we can focus on creating unique, high-quality art while ensuring that every step of the production process aligns with ethical standards.
