Master Egg Tempera Artist Fred Wessel at Saks Galleries like working with Butterfly Wings and Dandruff Denver, Colorado

Join us at Saks Galleries for a Special Egg Tempera Exhibition now through April 16, 2011

Fred Wessel on working with Egg Tempera and Gold Leaf

A friend of mine hates gold leaf,” said Wessel. “He likens it to working with dandruff and butterfly wings. You can not have a whisper of breeze or it will blow away. And egg tempera also requires infinite patience. Painting with it is like spinning cobwebs of colors; I build up the surface with tiny multiple strokes, one on top of another. But in spite of the problems, I feel right at home using almost forgotten materials.”

Some of Wessel’s showpieces are smaller than his past works, especially with his figural studies. These smaller works shine like precious gems among the larger compositions. An intimate relationship between the painting and the viewer is established, and the viewer can only feel in awe of their beauty and involved detail. In the Renaissance, many artists were influenced by the Neo–Platonicnotion that one attains a degree of enlightenment through the ardent and sincere pursuit of beauty. Renaissance Masters such as Raphael Sanzio and Michelangelo Buonarroti were deeply influenced by these Neo–Platonic aspirations. Thus, through their art, they attempted to convey a human life dedicated to the ideal elements of love, beauty and grace through their work. Similarly, through Wessel’s use of warm tones and the rendering of the youth's graceful hair and lovely expression, one is reminded of these Renaissance Neo–Platonic objectives.

This week at Saks Galleries we will feature five master egg tempera painters each with a unique approach to this historic medium used since the 1st century. A favorite of Michelango, Raphael, Bottecelli and Andrew Wyeth.

On Saturday April 2, meet two of the masters, Olga and Aleksey Ivanov at 1:00pm at Saks Galleries in Cherry Creek, Denver, Colorado. Learn how the mediums history continues to entice the viewer and delight patrons.

See this exceptional presentation now through April 16th during our

"Impressions of Spring" exhibition.