Original photograph captured at Codorníu winery in Catalonia, Spain, layered with textured acrylic paint, oil, and black metal leaf on archival canvas. Surface sealed with UV-protective varnish for preservation.

Medium: Photography, Acrylic, Oil, and Black Metal Leaf
Substrate: Archival Canvas
Dimensions: 48 in H × 36 in W × 1 in D
Year: 2025
Series: The Silver Thread – Cava Window Series
Signature: Signed on front

Photographed on-site at Spain’s oldest cava house, Codorniu Cava Window – The First Favorite captures the luminous geometry of the winery’s iconic stained-glass windows in Catalonia. Each six-sided glass pane—thick and jewel-like, reminiscent of the base of a wine bottle—reflects the vineyard, the sky, and the surrounding architecture in vivid color.

Layered with acrylic, oil, and black metal leaf, the work reimagines the window as a living surface. Textured paint enhances the glass’s tactile dimension, amplifying the way light moves and shifts across it—like the sparkle of cava in the glass.

In this “First Favorite,” one glass facet is subtly hand-painted in oil, almost invisible unless discovered. Each future piece in the twelve-part Cava Window series will conceal a different hand-painted facet, transforming the collection into an intimate treasure hunt of reflection, color, and craft.

Silver leaf transforms a surface into a living reflection. Unlike traditional paint, it interacts directly with light—catching highlights, shifting tone, and revealing subtle depth as the environment changes. In daylight, it glows with a cool radiance; under warm interior light, it softens to a quiet shimmer.

This dynamic quality gives each piece a presence that evolves throughout the day. Rather than a static image, silver leaf artwork becomes part of its surroundings—responding to architecture, movement, and mood. It’s this interplay between art and atmosphere that makes silver leaf pieces feel both timeless and alive.