Latest work for 2014 "Bliss" on 100% organic cotton painted in hand made, natural inks stains and dyes. To see the painting as it appears in the gallery click here: http://bit.ly/1ffZDLo Inspiration: Addiction is not a substance, its a behavior. In society we can clearly identify those who have fallen through the cracks of life and become addicted to things like alcohol, sex, drugs, gambling . . but the harder addictions to see are the ones involving thoughts and patterns blocking us from our own happiness. When we choose to stay in an addicted cycle, to those negative relationships, jobs, self opinions and thoughts of defeat we are choosing to live our lives with a board strapped to our faces. Never knowing the joys that await us or the beauty around us, never connecting ourselves to the rest of the world, or us to our own selves. This is why being aware is so very important. We must remember to be aware of ourselves in a world thats so very busy and close together. Additional close ups of the painting illustrate the artist's style of hidden and layering images, for example there are hidden faces braided throughout the piece. Herbs, spices, flowers, fruits and minerals as depicted in more detail in the artist's blog. Powdered pigment was used during a rainstorm then the painting slowly rotated to form natural striations and variation in color. All natural materials such as: lamp black, honey, cinnamon, rosenwasser and raspberry were used to create this piece. There is actual plant and herb used in each painting to derive the colors in each of these paintings as a prime pigment for the paintings. Each piece is kept pristine by a special formula which coats and protects the piece, preventing aging and oxidation as long as the painting is kept out of direct sunlight. To see and learn more about how the artist uses natural inks stains and dyes that he makes himself out of herbs, spices, flowers, fruits and minerals; feel free to visit the artist's blog one can find it by simply using Google and searching 'Patrick Gorman Pettis Fine Art', thank you for the love.