by Cat Saunders
The initial idea for my Dents du Midi series came from a series of paintings I worked on in 2010. I had just moved to the Alps from London, and was captivated by the landscape of the mountains. I began by drawing out the skyline and creating the mountains across three canvases, using just black and white acrylic. I continued to introduce colour into these but decided that my next paintings were going to be monochromatic and just of the skyline.
In order to get an interesting effect without colour, I experimented with silver leaf to create the effect of light reflecting from the snow on the top of the mountains. I chose quite a bold palette for the next two paintings in the series to make them stand out in a contemporary way.
The Process
Gilding traditionally uses fine metal sheets to cover many different types of surfaces from picture frames to jewelry, I use it in many of my paintings to create the illusion of light reflection. After the painting is finished I apply the gilding paste directly onto the canvas where the gold or silver leaf is to appear, then the leaf is placed directly onto the painting, before carefully removing the excess with a soft brush. This leaves just a hint of gold or silver leaf for the light to catch.
The Result
As you move around the painting you get a different viewing experience depending on the angle you are looking from. When the natural sunlight hits the painting the reflections created by the silver leaf are enhanced and the gilded effect appears even stronger.
