Danielle Hutchens - Los Angeles, CA
I’m a Topanga-based painter and ceramicist, using a sustainable practice to bring an earthy essence to her pieces. My work explores themes of play, the balance of feminine and masculine energy, and curiosity of nature through the hands-on, patient process of natural materials.
My process includes sourcing pigments from hikes and mixing with nontoxic binders like walnut oil. I’ve also been experimenting with recycled clay as color on unprimed canvas – fusing my practices and media together naturally. The hands on slow process has made my work more interesting and exciting.
I usually start by spending time in nature with the item or scene that I want to portray. To make pigments, I gather stones from the valleys or beaches near me, and grind them up into fine pigment powder. I use a combination of these colors and some natural pigments sourced from other makers and mix with a natural acrylic medium, or simply water. I pour and paint the made pigments onto unprimed canvas. The unprimed canvas soaks up the color (especially when mixed with water) and lets the color move across it freely. I continue with many layers until the piece forms together.
View all of Danielle's Artwork
