Egg tempera is an ancient painting technique that was widely popular in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It fell into obscurity after the invention of oil paints in the late 15th century. Since the mid 19th century it has been undergoing a revival as more and more artists rediscover it's beautiful qualities.

Egg tempera painting consists of egg yolk, water and powdered pigments.
The pigments are mixed with water to create a paste, then mixed with a medium made of egg yolk and water. The surface, or ground, is a traditional gesso layered on hardboard and sanded to a smooth finish. The egg tempera paint is applied in very thin, transparent layers of pure color. Many layers are applied in order to build the image and achieve a luminous sheen.

I discovered egg tempera in late 2006. The insistent inner urge to create "icons of nature" led me from oils to tempera. In this medium I have finally found what I've long been searching for. Painting in egg tempera is like "drawing with a brush" and it lends itself to a love of detail. This is not a medium that can be rushed. It takes time and patience, but that is part the appeal to me...the process itself is contemplative.

As this body of work grows I find the animals in these images teaching me much about my need for these creatures as soul companions. They truly teach me how to be in relationship with the Earth, with others and with myself. Each painting is a new experience of trust as I try to listen more deeply to what they have to say.