I’ve recently been interested in combining gouache paintings of vintage photos and/or botanical/animal illustrations with rich color-popping highly decorated backgrounds, often in the form of wallpaper. The simpler foreground image either works in harmony with the busier background or clashes and creates a tension between subject and background. The desired effect is to create a visual that is greater than either part alone, hopefully bringing out some unknown or abstract characteristic of the subject.

If bright colors and patterns mixed with natural elements presented in a maximalist way is your thing - then my paintings are for you.