RG
Final artwork: a blue lotus on a scuffed gold ground with white halo, Copperplate 'Sursum Corda' at lower right and cropped Blackletter 'Resi–' at lower left.

Resilientia Lotus (Sursum Corda)

A devotional street‑icon in blue and gold—Latin liturgy meets calligraffiti backbone. 12×16 in acrylic & metallics.

Artist
Robert Michael Grantham
Studio
Cardboard Calligraphy by Robert
Year
2025
Medium
Acrylic & metallic gold with Copperplate & Blackletter
Surface
Canvas panel
Dimensions
12 × 16 in (30.5 × 40.6 cm)
Edition
Original, unique work (signed COA)

Statement

Icons don’t beg the rule of thirds; they claim the center. The lotus stands like an altar figure while Sursum Corda (lift your hearts) arcs a benediction and the cropped Blackletter Resi– hints at Resilientia. Blue and gold—ancient as a cathedral—stay lively in thin metallic layers that catch gallery light without glare.

Process & Materials

  • Warm umber imprimatura and block‑in establish silhouette and ground (see WIP below).
  • Petal depth: transparent ultramarine+umber glazes, finished with restrained titanium highlights.
  • Thin metallic gold field for a responsive, light‑catching surface.
  • Lettering integrated into the composition: Copperplate (liturgy) + Blackletter (structure).
Work‑in‑progress: warm umber imprimatura with the lotus shape blocked in against a soft gray ground.
Underpainting: imprimatura block‑in before verdaccio modeling.

Scale & Context

Final painting framed on a gallery wall above a bench, under a focused spotlight.
On‑wall mockup for approximate scale.

Exhibition

Pancakes & Booze — Austin, Oct 11, 2025 · The Far Out Lounge, Austin, TX.