Hello
Welcome to Timothy Poe Studio! I am a multi-media artist working in 2-D and 3-D formats. My 2-D designs are in Vere’ / Eglomise’ w Reflective Elements or, reverse painting with plate glass mirror, and also mixed media on ground gesso boards! Both 2-D formats are unique in there own right, something of a new genre of artistic expression! Utilizing the reflective surface applied to the back of new plate glass mirror, I selectively remove the reflective coating creating areas of clear glass where I then paint adjacent to the reflective coating. The glass is my canvas.
The painting on ground gesso (traditional whiting gesso) board with a textured reticulated paint applied to the surface and when the paint forms dry, I complete the composition with an oil emulsion of color! My current 3-D designs are ready-mades’, assembled found objects composed to project and convey a metaphor or multiple metaphors’ within a particular theme?
![_Forever_ 2023 - 39x41 inches _ Vere' Eglomise' w Reflective Elements _ Iron Frame[20053].](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/241f50_563a456600a34d2c82818cce00c1c4bb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_162,h_194,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/_Forever_%202023%20-%2039x41%20inches%20_%20Vere'%20Eglomise'%20w%20Reflective%20Elements%20_%20Iron%20Frame%5B20053%5D_.jpg)
Recent Works
“Hearts” 5x8 piece / Kips Bay Decorator Show House
West Palm Beach, Fl.
Winter Surf 2024
48x96 / Eglomise’ w Reflective Elements/ Commissioned for Gallery Services, Birmingham, Al.
Three Kings 2024
36x84 Vere' Eglomise' w Reflective Elements & Aluminum frame
The Eighth Element of Design
Early in 2013, I began to advocate for the reflective surface as an 8th element of design for interior and exterior spaces. Where the reflective surface, a mirror, polished metal, clear glass, or the reflective surface of water, should be inclusive as an 8th element; co-joining the 7 established elements of design, line, shape, space, value, form , texture, and color; the reflective surface as an 8th element of design tool for utilizing function and form in an interior exterior residential and or commercial living space. Please see my petition for this additional archetypal element of design, the reflective surface.
Reflection is an inherent / integral element of design woven into the balance of nature itself. How and where the human eye perceives the world, how we feel and physically experience our natural world inclusive of the reflective surface? Sight, the first of the five senses allows perception by rays of light / electrons reflecting from an object, back onto the retina of the eye and further back onto the occipital lobe where the object is processed into shape and form. Most humans perceive the world with five senses although, proportional relationships of organic & inorganic things are innately and most often understood by sight. We recognize objects and associate this recognition with reason and experience, recognizing an object or thing by way of its form and function, our human form for instance has a reciprocal mathematical balance of all organic & inorganic things on earth. Physical matter joined in a cohesive bond of Dinergy, an across, through an opposing composition of shape and form, each object held together by the physical forces of our universe. Energy from our nearest galaxy, our solar system, our sun, our earth, fuel this cohesive bond of Dinergy , the motion of life. Our human physic responds and connects with this natural balance of the “golden mean” or pi / 2.236. Humans have emulated this balance of the natural world in their lives through artistic expression by way of the arrangement and design of the landscape and objects we live with, humans innately desire form and function to agree with the natural world and its mathematical balance.
This innate need for order and organization of objects we use and muse, understanding their purpose, utility or place by arranging them in a way that reflects the natural world. We utilize objects of utility for both practicality and aesthetics’. Line and curved shape, depth or space, value, form, texture, and color are primary elements in nature and we feel comfortable and safe living in an environment where these natural primary elements are present in our living environments. From the time of Galileo, our ability to reason and discover new methods of living has evolved, humanity advanced through several periods of innovative discovery since the renaissance. Moving forward we reference the past, a guidepost navigating the future, new aesthetic models of formal design were developed in the late nineteenth century where new philosophy’s of design gleened influence from ancient designs. The Celts incorporation of nature for jewelry design and objects of utility, some of these objects were polished to a mirror finish. Art Nouveau brought new ideas to the forefront for art and design based on the natural world, a balanced synergetic formation of all organic and inorganic matter born and nurtured by way of the electron. During the late nineteenth century inclusive of these new ideas of “natures way,” the world of art and design included the reflective surface, a plate glass panel coated on one side with silver and when viewing the glass from the front or, the opposite side of the silvered glass we could view our own physical reflection. With this reflective surface now commonly known as a plate glass mirror, we are able to see our own image and objects reflecting in the field of view. Humans have long since known the reflective surface of mirror emulates reflection in water, still pools of dark water. Seeing our image and considering the reflection of ones’ self, or an adjacent landscape in natures own design, allows a deeper connection to our environment and perhaps an inner consciousness of “self-reflection”. Glass and or a reflective surface in a modern design scheme for interior or exterior spaces expands and opens the space and where the reflective surface allows the interior space to appear larger and reflect objects in the space. The exterior of a building sheathed in window panes of glass also allows for the building to appear larger as the reflected light enhances other objects in nature in the surface of the glass. Personal and private revelations are often found in a mirrored surface, when our physical appearance is presented, we make adjustments of apparel, hair or skin and are allowed to feel or experience the past, present and future about ourselves and perhaps the world around us. A mirrored glass surface provides a sort of “through the looking glass” experience, inner reflection, a personal emotional awareness and also of course physical reflection, simultaneously produced by a reflective surface.
So, we now come to beg the question.... If a plate glass reflects physical form and also reflects the minds eye, inner awareness, is a mirror only an object of physical reflection? Not to consider the aesthetics of what is reflected, used only for various convenience and purpose, function and form? The question for any formal design plan where an object of utility incorporated might be answered; is this reflective object an essential element of the plan? The effect in this case of a reflective surface should be the cause, where a singular object although may have some if not most of the 7 elements of design and considered complete and inclusive? This is true in most examples considering an object of art, although an interior or exterior space generally will require each of the 7 elements composed of several parts to be considered complete, a working functional nature influenced composition. Good design must have a cohesive form and function, possessing the 7 elements of design, although compositions of interior or exterior design will include various materials, shapes and functions, inclusive for a cohesive design plan should be an 8th element, an element of reflection.
My work with plate glass mirror / Eglomise’ with Reflective Elements is often mentioned as “a mirror”. I consider the glass as a canvas and the silver reflective coating color. Utilizing the reflective coating as a material element within the composition, the final outcome rarely resembles only a mirror as we understand it, the reflective surface of the mirror becomes something else! My process of “adjusting” the reflective silver coating in most of my compositions, a much smaller percentage of the silver remaining relative to the overall percentage of the plate glass composition. An accent of the reflective silver-color, where the total area ceases to become a mirrored surface, the mirror becomes an object of art. A portal to a physical and etherial world behind the looking glass and the presence of this idea has been in our minds for a very long time: Proverbs 27:19 “As water reflects the face, so ones life reflects the heart.”
My Style
The discovery and development of the Vere’ / Eglomise’ w Reflective Elements technique had more than a decade of experience. Creating two dimensional objects of art with plate glass mirror has satisfied a strong desire for my artistic expression, discovery of the never before realized object with reflective areas, creating unique ideas for art and design! Gleaning techniques from experience in furniture restoration, decorative painting, hot glass techniques gleaned from the Pilchuck Glass School and while attending UAB completing an art studio degree a 30 + year effort as a working artist. This time has given way to a degree the self confidence to continue until for some unforeseen reason, I must leave the studio? I consider most of my recent work an abstract narrative style although, some might “reflect “on this idea in a different light?
Jean-Baptiste Glomy (1711-1786) first initiated the technique of reverse painting on glass, incorporating gold and silver leaf, this was certainly an original genre of art leading to the intricate Vere’ Eglomise’ designs of English artist Thomas Pelletier during the first half of the 20th century. Recent 21st c. examples are in a reference to work by Car Guo-Qiang / China who presented his “Non-Brand”, Gun powder, glass and mirror piece during an exhibition at the Guginheim, NY,NY in 2019. My style of reverse painting on plate glass mirror began in 2005 when I developed a unique process for creating the look of antique mirror using new plate glass mirror. Utilizing the silver reflective coating as a design element combined with color was an adaptation of these styles by Glomy & Pelletier and where my work may be considered a unique adaptive style of artistic expression? My efforts expanded in 2011, developing new techniques for this medium of plate glass with a silver coating and began to emerge where I explored new ways of narrative and abstract expression! Today I steady on, continuing to place objects of reverse painted plate glass mirror in private homes and corporate venues! However, there is a problem of perception for my work, where a plate glass mirror is considered a utilitarian object, as a bolt of cotton canvas stretched onto a frame waiting to be transformed by painting the blank canvas, my blank canvas is the reflective coating applied to the clear glass! My Eglomise’ paintings are difficult to describe unless experienced in real time? A normal first reaction to the work, these objects of glass, color and reflection might be… ‘What’ is it, how do you do this and how long does it take?” I use plate glass mirror, removing portions of the reflective coating from the back side of the mirror with an alkyd chemical exposing clear glass against the remaining reflective coating and then paint in these clear glass areas. Since 2006 developing these techniques and consistently realize new ways and ideas”! My work is abstraction, organic, it reflects light by varying degrees depending on the percentage of reflective material remaining in the composition, reflecting ambient light in and around the observed object! I do not paint exact representations of the human form or other living forms and as such, although one may perceive living and or inanimate forms in my compositions. Art is subjective to one’s personal perception and experience, thought and emotion give rise to one another where interpretation meets. I consider the most unique aspect of my work is the reflective elements that remain, facilitating a physical reflection of light, that give way to philosophical reflection. The human sight mechanism, electrons bouncing off the silver behind clear glass projecting the viewers form and objects around them. My work, these objects of reverse painted plate glass mirror also possess the ability to bring memories to the forefront, projected back and then forward again to the present moment, creating an intimate “through the looking glass” experience! In the studio, I hope to find the zone, a place between intention and spontaneous interaction! I create for myself although and ultimately the effort, the art is intended for the viewer, a positive, transcendental experience! I discovered the “Mana” 2-D format of painting on traditional ground gesso board in 2023, this is a unusual format where textural formations are produced by way of a special type of paint splashed onto a mineral spirits wash on the primed gessoed board. The paint reticulates finding its way to resemble organic fossilized living forms, drying on the ground gesso board, I then paint through and with these forms… My color palette using sheer oil color glazes take on the feel of chalk pastel due to the absorption of the porous whiting gesso ground / primer. I have not yet found a definitive explanation for the organic life like forms rendered from the splashed paint into the organic solvent, although my research is ongoing and I hope to offer a scientific explanation for the chemical reaction between these two materials very soon. The “ Mana” tag for this new genre of painting is in reference to American Indian folklore, where the American Indian was a polytheistic and saw God, the divine spirt in all living things!
