My last painting of the year, "Exotic Matter"

Normally I don't create new paintings especially for specific shows, but this time I made an exception. It was a very special occasion. My good friend, artist Minnie Watkins, was putting together an art auction for an important cause: raising funds to expand a small church so that it can do more to help the people in the Englewood community. She wanted small to medium size work for the show, and I didn't have very much in those dimensions. And she had given me some beautiful frames which I hadn't used yet. So, taking a cue from the color of one of the frames, I decided to create a new piece with a gold background. The gold makes the frame disappear, which was what I wanted. I hate it when frames overtake or compete with the artwork inside them.

I used nearly all my paint skins. I had been saving some for over a year. If you're familiar with my work, you'll notice the paints I used in previous work, including Silver Whisper, Transcendental Violet, Cerulean Rhapsody, and Violet Unfolding.

What makes Exotic Matter different from many of my previous works is deliberate mark-making. I expanded on the circular motif and painted some circles and other shapes in gold paint.

The title is a term from physics. Exotic matter is a type of matter with unusual properties that violate the known laws of physics. I came across the phrase in a science article and it sounded interesting, so I added it to my list of possible titles for abstract work. And then I chose it for this piece.  Exotic Matter sold at the auction, so I'm afraid it's no longer available. But everything in my Etsy shop still is. And don't forget about custom paintings!