Plaster Encaustic Fusion-The Evidence

Here's a peek at the incredible art that our students created during our Plaster Encaustic Fusion workshop held at Captured Moments in late Oct. and early Nov. It never ceases to amaze and inspire me how everyone takes our instruction and elevates it to new heights. Also worth noticing is how we all begin with exactly the same basic materials, and end with entirely different pieces of art - the alchemy of creativity and vision. This class was also a textural delight of beeswax, wood, wire, corrugated cardboard, acrylic paints, and exotic papers...and also the most fun and creative group of women around.



Marilyn and I are finished with classes for 2011 so that, like you, we can enjoy time with family and friends during the busy holiday season. We will return refreshed and inspired in 2012.

Thank you to all who pop in to see what's new, and to all of you who take classes. I am grateful to know you and to share this fabulous, messy, creative life.

Peace.

Footnote: Marilyn has also posted pictures of our class...stop by her blog to close ups...and also credits to our students (I too planned to credit our students but I am still under the mistaken impression that I will remember things without writing them down... and then I remember...oh, that's right...I forget things! ;o)

400th blog post - an an art giveaway

Normally, I hate rainy days. I don't like how dark and damp and cold my house gets. I hate venturing out through puddles, saddled with an umbrella that never works right. Walking Max is monumental chore in the rain, since he can't hold his own umbrella and he hates getting wet. And rainy days are synonymous with bad hair days in my world...

But it was drought-like in Upstate NY until the beginning of June, when it poured buckets, and for once I embraced a dark, damp day by curling up on my sofa with Max, a cup of coffee, an an overdose of HGTV. I also turned on my beeswax pot, and made a few little 5 x 5 beeswax collages...

Here they are:




Which brings me to my blog giveaway!

#1 my heart, thy heart
#2 twilight comes
#3 garden fairie

Just leave a comment telling me what you like about rainy days - and also rank from 1-3 which of these pieces you would like to receive if you win. On Monday, June 21, (the longest day of the year!!) I will pull three names at random as the recipients. The first name chosen will get their first choice, and I will try to honor your choice if you're second or third, based on what's left. I will announce the three winners on June 22, and ask you to contact me via email with your mailing address.

FYI, for those of you who've participated in past giveaways, I have learned a lot during my 400 blog posts - and one thing I've finally learned is to have the giveaway items wrapped & ready to go BEFORE offering the giveaway (I was not always so efficient!!). So these pieces are ready and waiting for mailing addresses and I promise you will not wait ages to receive them if you win.

I want to thank you all so much for visiting, and sharing your thoughts and support and inspiration with me.

Art Gone Wild 2010

I knew when I signed on for this exhibit that I would enjoy creating works for it. I don't think there exists a more powerful and endless source of creativity than we can find in nature. Last night, without much thought, I just decided I wanted to work with beeswax. I haven't done beeswax collage for awhile, and the little crock of hardened wax and quilting iron were calling to me (even before the glass of wine!). I stayed up way too late because once I started, I didn't want to stop. The result of my late night was these three beeswax collage canvasses. FYI, for those who may wonder, I used regular children's crayons to tint the wax. The process is so satisfying, from the aroma of hot beeswax to the flow of colors as they melt and move, to the composition, I just can't wait to make a few more tonight.

happiness once there
beeswax collage
6 x 6 deep set canvas


went away
beeswax collage
6 x 6 deep set canvas


they hold the key
beeswax collage
6 x 6 deep set canvas

Unfortunately, while my work will be on display with my fellow artists, I will miss the opening day event on June 5, which includes some very cool demos. I would encourage anyone who has some free time on June 5 and lives in the Albany, NY area to stop by. The Five Rivers nature preserve is worth the visit on any day, and the demos just add to a great day out for both kids and adults

"Heart song"

Beeswax collage on canvas paper - mosaic wall hanging
I decided to try my hand at beeswax collage recently, and this is my first finished piece. My friend Debbie showed me some techniques months ago, and I was particularly intrigued by the way the wax saturates papers and makes them translucent. Although I've seen wax manipulated with a heat tool, I really liked using a quilting iron to make the surface smooth. I deliberately selected old music book pages and thin handmade papers that would become translucent when coated with wax. I decided to make small mosaic squares, so that if I did something irreparable, I could just toss the square and start over. One of the best features of beeswax is that it's almost impossible to do something irreparable -- just reheat the wax, and items can be moved or eliminated from the collage. The wax also serves to preserve the papers beneath, so it requires no additional fixative. I also love the texture that the beeswax leaves behind when pressed with the quilting iron. I will definitely continue to explore this collage medium. I was also pleased with the simple, colorful graphic nature of the piece.



To construct the wall hanging, I punched tiny holes in each of the squares, and used parts of round black paper clips (clipiolas) as jump rings to hang them. The piece looks particularly striking when hanging in a window, where the musical backing shines through to the front, and the hearts glow a fiery red.

This piece is dedicated to our friend Jodi Pitcheralle, 1957-2007 - I will dedicate a whole post to Jodi in the future, but I can't right now.