Pat Orban Art Opening

The ancient stone walls, once painted with vibrant colored murals, now depict the decay of their unveiling. Commissioned for the enjoyment of the elite of Pompeii, these murals give us a glimpse of Roman lifestyle before the eruption of Vesuvius in 59AD.

What were once numerous stylized realistic paintings (depicting gods and goddesses, Greek mythology, love and war, and life itself), are now abstract shapes, lines, and faded colors always evolving and eroding over time.

Captivated and intrigued by what is now left of these murals and the highly civilized culture of Pompeii, my paintings (clay mono-prints), depict the murals as they are today, almost lost to light and air pollution.

The clay mono-print process lends itself perfectly to expressing the ghostly images of the murals. When hand printing the painting, only part of the original will print off of the clay slab onto the printing medium, giving an ancient, textured, and eroded appearance to the print.

My jewelry designs are also influenced by jewelry found at Pompeii, with a hint of the prestigious Roman culture thousands of years ago. All of this unique jewelry is designed in fine silver metal clay or sterling silver, and accented with natural stones and pearls.