SIENNA REID | SIENNA REID ~ PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS | Reverse on Glass
The ancient technique of painting on glass in reverse, to be seen from the other side has inspired me for a several decades and is something that I come back to time and again. In my earliest paintings I used a lot of resin (influenced by Schnabel) and later I worked for several years painting on mirrors, glass and window frames, delighted by the depth and light to found in this mysterious process of layering, which needs to start with the last thing seen. Later, when I was despairing because of the burden of having created many large, heavy and dangerous paintings on wood panels with giant shards of mirrors framing them like icons, I decided to switch paths and start painting the smallest paintings possible. This is when I settled on the one inch square format and painted tiny "peep show" paintings on glass. In 2009 I revisited that idea, as I was bedridden for some time, and could work on these tiny pieces outside the studio. The delight of these glowing tiny windows onto a private world inspires me still and I see this as a continuing theme to explore with passion.
