Fircrest I

Joe Ferriso

2025

Medium: Acrylic on panel with mirrors

Dimensions: 26.5 x 18.25 x 1.25

Price: Upon request

Description: I walk my dog almost every morning over a hill that looks out on the Laguna De Santa Rosa. The street is called Fircrest, and I often stop to see the sky and how the weather and light conditions illuminate the valley below. From this vantage point, I have made numerous sketches and photographs. My morning routine is solitary and feels like a personal pursuit. It’s something I look forward to, seeing the valley and sky above changed every day by the weather conditions. On one neighborhood walk, I came across a garage sale, and I purchased a baggie of 1” round mirrors, not knowing how I might use them but intrigued by their ability to create a keyhole-sized reflection. Somehow, this view, over the Laguna and these mirrors which reflect my vision back at me, felt well-suited to share this personal perspective and bring the viewer into the picture plane at the same time. The image was painted in one shot, wet on wet, while the acrylic paint quickly dried. The speed of the depiction evokes the hazy qualities of a recollection in stark contrast to the crisp reflection of the mirrors. One of the mirrors is facing inwards, as if a switch has been flipped off.