Gothic Tales (1996-2000)
Gothic Tales

For the past four years, I have been working on a series of small paintings using antique book pages as my “canvas.” Dated between 1856-1858, these pages are from a 19th-century publication—a combination of Life, National Geographic and People magazines where contemporary and historical people and events were reported and illustrated. I use these 19th-century images and text as a catalyst for the ensuing paintings. Most images are obliterated by the fleshy paint, a few remain as ghost images—mysterious and seductive, others are obscured with black gesso—like inkblots which become as evocative as dreams or shadows. The title for this series is Gothic Tales as the paintings imply a narrative—a visual journey through the centuries, joining the romanticized past with an elusive future.

Judith Page
2000