01
Preparing the surface
The support is prepared so it can receive repeated layers while preserving the intended texture and structure.
Materials & process
Why mineral pigment?
Mineral pigment gives colour a physical presence. Its grain, layering and response to light create surfaces that cannot be fully understood from a screen alone.
What it is
Colour that remains visibly material.
Mineral pigments are finely prepared particles of stone and mineral colour. Unlike colour that disappears into a flat, uniform film, their grains remain part of the visible surface.
Different particles can carry different weight, texture and reflectivity. Their presence gives the painting depth that shifts subtly as the viewer moves or the light changes.
The process
Built slowly, understood closely.
02
Selecting and mixing colour
Mineral particles are chosen for hue, grain and visual character, then prepared with the binder used for the work.
03
Building through layers
The image develops gradually. Every hand-applied layer changes the opacity, texture and relationship between the colours above and below it.
04
Responding to light
The finished surface can reveal different balances of colour, sheen and shadow as the surrounding light and viewing angle change.
An old material in a contemporary language.
Mineral-based colour appears in surviving art across many cultures and historical periods. StillTess works with it as a contemporary painting medium, using its tactile depth to explore tenderness, memory, beauty and human connection.
Choosing mineral pigment is not an attempt to reproduce the past. It is a way to give quiet emotions a tangible physical form—layer by layer, through colour, texture and light.
Useful to know
Questions about the material.
Why do the paintings look different in person?
Mineral particles interact with surrounding light and viewing angle. A photograph records the composition, but an in-person viewing reveals more of the surface’s texture, density and variation.
What materials are documented in these works?
The documented paintings shown on this website use mineral pigment and nikawa on wood board. Each artwork entry lists its supplied year and dimensions.
Does every mineral-pigment painting look the same?
No. Particle size, layering, colour relationships, support and hand application all affect the final surface. Each painting develops its own physical character.
How should a collector care for a painting?
Display and care requirements can vary by work and framing method. Contact Tess for the information specific to the painting you are considering.
A closer encounter
Some things are best
experienced in person.
For artwork, commissions, exhibitions or workshops, get in touch with Tess.