Mixed Media on paper

Signed on the front.

Mixed media on 600gsm cotton rag paper. 119 x 87 cm.
This painting develops my series the four classical elements. Earth is represented by the soil beneath and the hidden underground elements like roots, larvae, and fossils.
Empedocles four elements resonate in many ways and according to their meaning or symbolism in different cultures throughout the centuries. I find this interesting, but I wanted to reflect upon my own personal vision of these elemental syntaxes.
In my practice, my preferred mode of expression is drawing and through recent years I have developed a unique technique that allows me to create very precise lines on the surface layer of the painting using an etching needle and a special wax-based painting medium. Often layer upon layer of drawings receding into the substrate of the painting medium. This way of working allows a more free approach to painting and at the same time a very detailed working practice.