Land Light
Southwestern Mineral Paintings
Alchemy of Earth, Light, and Memory.
Have you ever seen paintings made out of hand made mineral paint ? Paul Seftel is the modern-era artist who changed the conventions of art by adding a unique touch of minerals, proving to the world that there are other ways of creating beautiful art pieces that do not require conventional paint and color. He added a Southwestern touch using marble dust, limestone, copper, iron, and mica. These minerals are layered to build textured surfaces that interact with light. Each painting changes slightly depending on when, where, and how you see it, giving it a sense of movement and life.
Turquoise Pigment Landscape Art
The Southwest is known for its color – from the deserts, mountains, rivers and the infinite blue sky. This uniqueness and popularity inspire Seftel’s turquoise pigment paintings. These turquoise pigment paintings provide the world with a remarkable set of depictions that are based on the natural beauty of the Southwest’s skies, minerals, and landscapes, creating a deep connection to the land. He creates glowing layers of blues and greens using natural pigments. In the grains of the minerals, when the light is trapped, a beautiful reflection of the desert sky and mineral-rich earth can be seen. His work honors the tradition of Indigenous artisans who have used minerals in art for centuries.
Ready to Buy Mica and Mineral Paintings?
Seftel’s work goes beyond traditional painting. He uses minerals like mica rather than paint to create a shimmery look. When the light hits, these minerals trap its rays, providing texture and depth. As a result, what you see is an art that is light-responsive, making Seftel a visionary artist. His art has been all about how light reflects with colors that he extracts from the earth. It’s the texture that he creates using minerals, which trap the light in them. So, as you move and the light shifts, the painting reveals new angles, giving each canvas a life-like illusion.
Frequently Asked Questions
He applies natural minerals, such as limestone, marble dust, copper, mica, iron, and phosphorescent pigments, to create textured, light reactive surfaces.
Minerals help Seftel create an earthy texture. That texture confines the light in it to provide contour, radiance, and the appeal of living unity to the earth. They enable the work to evolve without noticing any significant change when light shifts, giving the perception of time and transformation.
You can explore his collections online or visit his gallery near Santa Fe, New Mexico, to see Seftel's work of textures and light firsthand.
His art builds a connection between ancient and contemporary techniques. He combines old raw materials and his unique ideas to create a wide range of artworks that express life in every bit of his
paintings.
They are best viewed in natural or changing light, where the minerals’ reflective and translucent qualities come alive.