This scene portray’s my client’s backyard if you can believe it! Like a beautiful oasis of green grass, with plenty of lilies, a pond and a little waterfall. The most amazing feature is the bridge, which they built themselves. Although the bridge is usually frequented by running, laughing grandchildren, it fits an Amish buggy perfectly.
An old sandstone quarry borders their property, provding an endless supply of this beautiful native stone. Interesting pieces are dispersed around the house, repurposed as benches, walls and edging. In the case of this mural installation, an eight foot slab waits patiently near the road for two newly finished landscape panels to be installed.
Since this painting will live outdoors in the full range of heat and cold that WNY provides, it was painted on triple-primed Marine Board. The original surface of a painting is the most important factor to ensure it’s longevity. If it had been applied directly to the sandstone, water would have seeped constantly through that porous surface – freezing and thawing would soon cause the paint to flake.
I always prefer to work on a separate surface for outdoor installations, giving me more control over how the painting will fare in harsh conditions. In addition, several layers of clearcoat give extra protection against dings, scratches, fading and weathering.
