About a year and a half ago, I began incorporating 24-karat gold leaf into my paintings. It started as an experiment—something inspired by my longtime fascination with Byzantine iconography—but it’s evolved into one of the most meaningful elements in my work.
If you’re familiar with Byzantine art, you’ll know the saints were never meant to feel “of this world.” They were surrounded by gold not for glamor, but to signal their unearthly, sacred nature. I’ve always been struck by that visual language—whether it’s a mosaic in the back of Sacré-Cœur or a centuries-old icon in a dimly lit church, it stops me. Every time.
When I began applying gold medallions around the heads of my subjects—whether human or animal—it created a similar effect. In my figurative paintings, it introduced a sense of holiness. In the Safari Series, the gold leaf behind elephants and zebras became a sacred moon or a setting sun. It was subtle, symbolic… and deeply quiet.
There’s also a material contrast I didn’t anticipate—one that became central to the work. In my West Palm Beach studio, I always paint on raw Belgian linen. Linen behaves like velvet; it absorbs light and gives a muted, soft backdrop. Gold leaf does the opposite—it catches and reflects every flicker of light in the room.
As the light shifts throughout the day, so does the piece. The medallion glows in the morning, glints in the afternoon, and dances softly under candlelight in the evening. That natural animation—that living, breathing presence—was a gift I didn’t expect, but one I now chase.
Using real 24-karat gold leaf feels indulgent, yes. But it also feels honest. There’s a weight to it, a timelessness. I like that it’s not a shortcut or a trick—it’s elemental, radiant, and rooted in centuries of art history.
I’m curious to see how this thread evolves. It’s shown up in my contemporary figurative work, my animal portraits, and even in my interior design collaborations. It connects my past to my present—my reverence for the sacred, and my pursuit of beauty.
And let’s be honest: it doesn’t hurt to say, “Yes… that’s 24-karat gold.”
Explore Sean Rush’s Artworks in person at the Sean Rush Art & Home private gallery on Antique Row in West Palm Beach by reaching out at https://seanrush.com/contact-us/
Or view available works online at https://seanrush.com/