Completed 20 Dollar Saint Painting by coppermania

**coppermania** · 03-08-2012 10:29 AM

I completed this painting recently and felt it would be nice to share here. Although I am a professional artist, I rarely get to do any work for myself and I average about one item a year that I can eek out in my free time in the winter. Most of you know that I do professional Tattooing for a living and have entered my 16th year of performing that work on the public at large. Day in and out I listen to what it is others want and translate their desire on the body. It is a honorable but taxing process and when I get to chose the subject it has nothing to do with classic tattoo motifs.

For this piece I selected a 20 Dollar gold piece that I love so much. My mother found this frame at a thrift store for the mission that she volunteers at and I cut the board to fit it. I thought a gold coin has to go in there for sure and it saves a bundle on framing cost to recycle, plus they usually don't make frames like that in modern frame shops. Anyway, I worked with oil this time as I like the way the paint wicks up and keeps it's texture when dry. I really like doing more of an impressionistic style to the translation while still keeping with an accuracy of the coin. Like my Father says, why reproduce it like a photograph when an actual photo can do that better? And I like to say, I thought I knew a coin well until I painted one... The closeups are to show texture.

Although I could see this painting in any coin shop or collector study, I plan to simply hang this in my home as a reminder that coins and art are important to me and my family. Thanks, Matt

**Cazkaboom** · 03-08-2012 10:32 AM

Just beautiful! Click here to enlarge

**james m. wolfe** · 03-08-2012 10:34 AM

thats great!!! Click here to enlarge

**holz** · 03-08-2012 10:37 AM

Nice, I really like it, and the frame is perfect.

**Vess1** · 03-08-2012 10:52 AM

Just awesome. Nicely done.

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**RiverGuy** · 03-08-2012 11:04 AM

Very impressive Matt! When you get tired of looking at it I would gladly take it off your hands and hang it in my home.

**GatewayCoinGuy** · 03-08-2012 11:08 AM

That painting is amazing! Thanks for sharing it with us.

**Collect89** · 03-08-2012 11:21 AM

Ms67*

**gbroke** · 03-08-2012 11:53 AM

Wow coppermania. I don't know anything about art, and what's good or what's not good. What I do know is, that is beautiful and you have some serious talent. Nice work.