Tang Museum - Fred Tomaselli

This painting created by artist Fred Tomaselli in 2000 is a photo collage that uses acrylic paint under layers of clear epoxy resin. Tomaselli used actual pills, mushrooms, and leaves in this piece along with some other unusual materials which he then collaged into multi-layered combinations. Tomaselli draws inspiration from historical sources such as the Renaissance frescoes, 1960s Minimalism and decorative traditions including quilts and mosaics. He is well known for his baroque paintings which incorporate unusual images ranging from real, photographic to painted objects. Seeing this work first hand gave me a better sense of what went into creating this piece and allowed me to view some of the smaller details that are difficult to observe in this picture. Tomaselli used a variety of colors, shapes and images to create attractive patterns which are best understood when seen in person.