Equinox Project: 20 March, 2026 - 22 September, 2026

The steel panel measures 34" x 89" (Fibonacci Numbers) and was fabricated by Coda Supply in Sparrowbush, NY.  It is made of galvanized HVAC material that was cut and folded to specification.  

The surface was sanded and deeply abraded to add visual texture and a rough surface for the primer.

Paint-blocking tape is applied to the surface in straight horizontal lines, also of Fibonacci lengths: 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ...

The steel surface likewise also has Fibonacci stripes where it is exposed to rain and ice without the protection of varnish that was applied to the rest of it.

3 layers of metal primer were applied to the surface, sealing the tape which later will reveal the steel surface below.

Later, after the painted surface has settled into place and is no longer runny, all of the tape will be removed.  

This will take place on 3 April, 2026.

3 layers of Golden acrylic gesso  were applied over the steel primer. This part of the process was done in August, 2025.  The panel was then stored over winter in the studio until March, 2026.

A view of the paint tray and the various materials that make the classic medium of

roughly 1/3 cold pressed linseed oil, 1/3 damar varnish, 1/3 turpentine.  To this mixture, was added linseed stand oil to slow the drying time.  2 large tubes (300ml) of titanium white oil paint were slowly mixed into the medium. and a slurry was formed.

The painting was installed on site at Maison Bergogne for the Vernal Equinox, Friday, March 20th, 2026, and the paint mixture was poured over the surface on the following day, after which there was a reception to mark the event.

Immediately after "Equinox" was painted there were several days of steady rain.  

A tented structure was built to temporarily protect the very wet mixture of paint, after which, it was removed and the painting was fully exposed.

After several days of rain and ice, the tape blocking parts of the surface was removed, revealing the brushed galvanized steel surface.  In preparing the steel panel over the previous summer, the steel surface was sanded was coarse 60grit sandpaper and then sealed with clear varnish - parts of the steel were also taped to prevent the varnish from protecting it.

Maison Bergogne is located at 226 Bridge Street in Narrowsburg, NY - there is an open backyard overlooking the Delaware River.  We cut the grass and made an area for people to visit the site with a bench and a didactic panel to explain the project.

Detail of the surface after 3 months of exposure to the elements.  The surface is deeply pitted, resembling a lunar landscape (see video, below).

Surface detail

After record-breaking temperatures of over 100º F, there followed several days of steady rain with temperatures dropping to the 60s.  Although the painted surface now appears dry, the metal panel often gets very hot in the sun, causing the paint to get soft again.  There are many ants crawling around on the surface.

Surface detail