in painting jewelry

Early religious Icon painting and American abstract colour field painting from the 1950’s onwards have always been a major influence in my work over the years. The materials used in early Icon painting - gold leaf, rich pigments, gesso on wood - are all methods that I employ in my work. I also love the freedom and luxurious use of colour used by the abstract expressionists. I also reference contemporary artists that work with light, colour and space such as James Turrell and Anish Kapoor.

Hardly ever using brushes; I use my hands, sponges or sprays to work over the canvas or wood with a variety of old techniques and contemporary materials - gesso, acrylic paint, glitter, raw pigment and gold leaf. Layer upon layer of paint, pigment or glitter glide the surface until I arrive at a point of conclusion. This can take several months as often I work and re-work the paintings until I feel satisfied that they have reached the right pitch. My paintings have to sing to me.

The subtleties of natural light transform the paintings further as the layers of colours are revealed within the canvas. They therefore never remain fixed or static, they change with time. I know when I have achieved my goal when there is a visual fluidity of movement, combined with a constant state of flux within the frame. I always work on a series of paintings at the same time, usually in diptychs or triptychs which echo the style of Icon paintings. The titles are indicative of narratives that exist outside of the paintings - giving them a sub-text.

I trained in Fine Art (Painting) at Camberwell College of Art and Norwich University College of the Arts, graduating in 1997. My studio is my home in Dulwich, London.

I also offer a bespoke jewellery design service using precious and semi precious stones with a mixture of vintage and new charms. Please see my Collections on the website.

Please contact melissabudasz@btinternet.com for further details and commissions.