Heart of gold

This very limited edition Valentine’s Day print was made in February of 2020. I was very much in the middle of a reckoning with my own anatomical human heart in that pre-pandemic moment, and the resulting image reflects the uneasy place I was in, as well as the incredible gratitude I was feeling for the love and care that had gotten me through the previous six months.

The image was created by riffing on top of a 19th-century public domain anatomical engraving of the human heart. I no longer remember how I decided on the image, but I have photo documentation of one sheet of these prints coming out of the Amish inkjet printer. I must have run that sheet of paper through the printer twice: once to layout a sheet of images, and then a second time to overprint after I had gilded the heart shape and hand-colored the red background. I do remember that additional hand painting was done with black ink as a final step.

I printed this image using carbon black pigment ink that is very permanent, and used archival materials throughout the process, including 23k gold leaf.

Although the print is not numbered, I believe 15 or less of this print were created.

Each print is torn to size by hand, resulting in a beautiful irregular border. The overall dimensions are approximately 5 by 7 inches, but there is some variation in size as well.

This print is optionally available in a white wooden 8 by 10 inch frame with a white museum rag mat. Glass protects the front of the print. An easel back and hangers complete the package, allowing the frame to stand on a table or shelf, as well as hang on the wall.