Nacre of Pearl

Nacre of Pearl encaustic paintings Maggie Simonelli

Opalescence of crushed pearls, warmth of peach orange resonating from coral, pale pinks, translucence of beeswax, pale golds, shimmering silvers, these are the materials of Maggie Simonelli's paintings for the exhibit entitled Nacre of Pearls that speak to the heart through the senses. Enchanted by themes of nature, love and compassion in the series Pearl within the Pearl Maggie Simonelli embraces the feminine, beauty with highly decorative style with sensuality of touch. The title of the series comes from Rumi quote :

“Whatever pearl you seek, look for the pearl within the pearl!” ― Rumi

Pearls have been symbolic of goddess culture associated with Venus which finds its origins in the Middle East in goddess Astarte. Finding the transcendent within and diving deep into this source to find spiritual essence is part of the journey in this series.

*Nacre of Pearl,* Pearl within the Pearl series *2022-23*
encaustic, crushed pearls, 16 kt pale gold leaf, Japanese coral, oyster shells, glass pigments, aluminum leaf and cosmetics on wood
36" x 36" x 1 1/4" (sold)

Alchemy of elements are “slow-cooked” on double boiler creating handmade paints of beeswax. Rich, luscious surfaces of soft cream of translucent pearls are layered like as if building the nacre surface of a real pearl. Salmon colored coral and pale glass pinks Interlace inside the feathery pale gold and silver petals that radiate upward on wood panels with Simonelli's signature encaustic “burn-in” technique. Painting with the nacre of real pearls in Nacre of Pearl, the softness of the color has a shell like effect encompasses the viewer in pale coral pearl cloud. Continually layering into wax, Simonelli layers of brushed on crushed pearls , pale pink glass pigments within the pale colored beeswax with iridescence of imbedded metals.

*Trio of Pearls, baby pearls* #1a , #2a & #3a 2022-3 (sold)
encaustic, crushed pearls, 16 kt pale gold leaf, Japanese coral, oyster shells, glass pigments, aluminum leaf and cosmetics on wood
each 6" x 6" x 1"

*Pearl, pale pink* 2022-23
encaustic, crushed pearls, 16 kt pale gold leaf, Japanese coral, oyster shells, glass pigments, aluminum leaf and cosmetics on wood
6" x 6" x 1"

*Pearl. Pale Pink* & Inspiration *Three Graces*, 1st c CE Fresco, Masseria di Como Irace, Pompeii

Simonelli says :
The pearl is a treasure hidden and a protector for the oyster who creates the pearl within. In irritant arriving with the oyster shell signals the process to cover it with nacre secretions. This protective coating is iridescent and creates the final pearl. For the artist the birth of pearl is symbolic of power of love and goddess Venus that at first may irritate the heart to act and creates beauty and sacred nature within.

*Pearl within the pearl, Pink* 2023
*encaustic, crushed pearls, 16 kt pale gold leaf, Japanese coral, oyster shells, glass pigments, aluminum leaf and cosmetics on wood 18" x 18" x 1 1/2" (sold)*

*Pearl within the pearl, Coral* 2023
encaustic, crushed pearls, 16 kt pale gold leaf, Japanese coral, oyster shells, glass pigments, aluminum leaf and cosmetics on wood
18" x 18" x 1 1/2”

*Pale gold, coral & pearl*, group #1, #2, #3, #4 2023
encaustic, crushed pearls, 16 kt pale gold leaf, Japanese coral, oyster shells, glass pigments, aluminum leaf and cosmetics on wood
each : 10" x 10" x 3/4"

Simonelli paintings return to reverence of Nature, embracing the decorative, the liberation of beauty, sacred love and divinity of the feminine as a living nature. Maggie Simonelli painting process is a devotional contemplation, a communication of beauty and nature of the human spirit through the hand.