Altoid Tin Paintings

I find that drawing and painting are means of processing the beauty and wonder of an awfully large universe. So there's something fitting to me about the Altoid tin painting as a practice.

These are miniature paintings created on repurposed Altoid tins, using the inside of the lid (prepared with gesso) as a canvas, and the bottom of the tin as my palette. The challenge is how to simplify a subject for a 3.6" x 2.2" canvas without losing its essence.  Despite their scale, each Altoid tin painting demands the same attention to composition, light, and subject as larger works. Wildlife, landscape, and coastal imagery take on a new intimacy in this format, inviting close contemplation and a sense of discovery within a compact space.