Inside a Commissioned Resin Artwork | Learn My Layered Painting Process

Hey y’all — welcome to my studio. I wanted to share a work in progress of a commissioned painting and give you a little behind-the-scenes look at how these layered resin pieces come together.

Studio view of the sketch of painting and Final painting in progress. Final painting 40” x 60” and will be framed in wood frame.

Sue Ann is redesigning her space and wanted the marble to feel more cohesive with the rest of the room. She had this beautiful marble coming in, and we started asking: how do we make a piece that pulls everything together instead of competing with it?

A past commissioned painting of Koi Fish 30” x 60” on clear plexi in sanded steel frame.

So we played with color. We looked at the veining in the marble, the softness of it, the movement — and built a palette that would echo those tones. We brought in soft blues to cool things down and warm golds to create a glow. The yellow goldfish felt like the perfect way to bring life into the space without overwhelming it.

And instead of painting on canvas, I’m working on clear lucite. That’s really important. The fish aren’t just painted on something — they’re suspended in it.

This is just the first layer. Once it cures, I’ll pour another layer of resin over the top and keep building. Each layer adds actual physical depth, so by the end it really feels like the fish are swimming on the wall..

You’ll also see this brown backing — that’s just a protective film on the plexiglass. When everything’s finished, that gets peeled off so the back is completely clear. Light will pass through, and depending on the time of day, the fish will cast these soft, shifting shadows on the wall. It makes the piece feel alive in the room.

That’s what I love about this process — it’s not just a painting. It interacts with the space. The light changes, the shadows move, and it becomes part of the home.

If you’re thinking, “Okay, I want to try that” — I will teach this process at Snow Farm this summer! I’ll be there August 5th through August 9th. Find out more about the class here.

Resin layered Fish shoal on clear lucite in white wood frame.

I’ll walk you through it step by step so you can create your own layered resin piece.

Join me! August 5 - 9, 2026 @ Snow Farm New England