Ann James Massey

The Book

Oil on Mahogany board
5" x 5.75"

Artist Statement: If we open the door to our small Paris apartment and the books fall on us, we know they will have taken over and we are no longer welcome. Books of all manner have been an essential part of my life and this tome can represent whatever the viewer imagines it to be: family bible, Shakespeare, art or historical reference, fiction, etc. Thus, this miniature continues my theme of paying homage to important influences, using one of my favorite models posing on my settee now located in my US art studio.

Bio: From her initial art exhibition in 1972, Ann James Massey’s intricate wax pencil drawings have received recognition and won numerous awards in national and international competitions, as well as being reproduced in dozens of books and magazines. In 1990, she started complimenting her drawings with equally detailed oil paintings (utilizing old masters’ techniques) that have followed the same international award-winning path. In 2003, she was chosen as one of the initial 34 artists selected for The Art Renewal Center’s Living Masters Gallery.

In 1994, Massey relocated from her hometown of El Paso, Texas (where she still maintains a studio) to Paris, France. Her artistic focus sharpened, incorporating Europe’s juxtaposition of past and present, and more recently, adding in the element of tribute for influencing factors (religion, family, friends, books, music, art, animals, etc.) in her life.

Inspired by Primitive Flemish and 17th Century Dutch artists, Massey grinds her own paint and works on mahogany board. Created entirely by hand with no mechanical means, her composition starts with gestural drawings, refined to a detailed line drawing, and then transferred to the prepared board. The first layer is in burnt umber creating a sepia rendition to establish values and confirm the composition. It is then followed by usually three layers of color and finished with some scumbling and glazing.
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