Shows and Demos

It's been a busy month so far, starting with the Paradise City Fine Arts show over Columbus Day weekend. This was my last Paradise City show because I will be moving to Chicago next year. 

The 3 day shows are exhausting and the day after coming home I had to begin setup for the next event... Yesterday was my solo show opening at Brush Strokes Gallery, a new local venue that has also invited me to teach encaustic workshops. 

The building once was a daycare center and Jon Corbino, the building owner, decided to convert the space into artist studios with a large, main gallery on the upper level.

Brush Strokes mission statement: "Our mission is to create meaningful connections between artists, collectors, curators and visitors. By establishing an environment that is open and unintimidating, we hope to enable reflection, to encourage passion and to provide a forum for the exploration of all media: painting, photography, sculpture, installation, video and more.  Our roster includes artists both emerging and established. What unifies them is our belief in their material and conceptual vision."

I have never had the opportunity to exhibit so many pieces of my work in such a large exhibit space and admit it was both exhilarating and challenging to make everything flow together. Both watercolor and encaustic paintings are on display, all of the work is inspired by the land and earth. 

I decided to hang awards I have received next to the corresponding pieces as visual endorsements of my work.

This show is my first introduction of the Outback Series, an abstract interpretation of Australian lands. The gallery offers wood display panels on wheels which allow for the room to change with the artist's needs. It was the perfect space to separate the representational landscapes from these new abstracts.

An hour into the reception, I demonstrated several encaustic techniques. I had prepared an 11 x 14 panel with many layers of wax that were then scraped, molded and reformed. I demonstrated inlay techniques, image transfers and oil pastel etched into wax medium. The interest and energy in the room was fantastic.

The first encaustic workshop starts this Sunday and hopefully I will have time to complete the demo piece started yesterday before the workshop, pictured below.

Embracing Encaustic

I received word this week that I will be one of the artists featured in the 3rd edition of "Embracing Encaustic: Learning to Paint with Beeswax" by Linda Womack due to be released before the end of 2012. I am thrilled to be included with this group of fine encaustic artists.

http://www.lindawomack.com/books/purchase.html

We were required to submit up to 4 jpg's along with a brief explanation of our process. Below are my submissions. In the next few weeks I will find out which image was chosen for the book.

Brief description of my process:

I use photos I have taken and transfer the images by fusing them into wax medium. I then paint additional details using small brushes, pigmented layers of wax, and sculpting tools to create a greater sense of depth.

Once I received the news that I was going to be included in the book, my confidence was up and I decided to submit to the Cambridge Art Association upcoming BLUE show. Below are the pieces I submitted, (the middle image is watercolor, the others are encaustic).

I also applied to SOLO Competition at the Bromfield Gallery. The work I submitted was from my topography series. 

My encaustic body of work has been transitioning from representational into abstract, always pulling inspiration from my love of the land and earth. Having my encaustic image transfers chosen to be featured in "Embracing Encaustic" validates the process I have been developing for the past 3 years. The inner critic is now anxiously awaiting for either acceptance or rejection of my new abstracts. I will share the outcome here once I receive notifications.

The other side of my art business is exhibiting (and selling) starting this weekend at the Paradise City show in Northampton, MA.  Today I load up, tomorrow setup, and Saturday through Monday I will be  exhibiting. The following weekend my solo show at Brush Strokes Gallery opens followed by teaching beginner encaustic workshops. This is a busy time of year for me and I am embracing all of these encaustic opportunities.

Shifting

"Dreaming of Water", 18 x 24, encaustic on cradled panel

My recent focus has been on painting with wax using abstract techniques to depict identifiable landscapes in new ways. I am inspired to convey a message about the land and a view of the world that allows for an essential appreciation of earth and nature.

I painted "Dreaming of Water" using shades of blue combined with the earth pigments that are most predominant in Aboriginal paintings. I have just begun reading a book, "Mutant Message Down Under" by Marlo Morgan; she shares her experiences from walking across Australia with a nomadic Aboriginal tribe. The tribe lives and thrives in natural harmony with their surroundings and through reading her first hand perspective, I have developed many new visions of the world. I just need the time to paint them all.

Unfortunately, I will have to take a short painting break as I prepare for the upcoming Paradise City show over Columbus Day weekend followed by my solo show and encaustic workshop at Brush Strokes Studio. I have been very protective of this newest body of abstract work, although I am planning on including some pieces in upcoming shows. It's important not to ignore that we need to live in peace and harmony with not just each other, but the land, too. Primitive art has become more meaningful to me than any other art form, it brings me back to the essential basics of life.

Footprints

I put together a short 1 minute slideshow of my recent process, all inspired by Aboriginal art and a humbling view of the world. This discovery has been exhilarating, allowing me to explore new textures, patterns, and dimensionality. 

A birds eye view

"Footprints", 12" x 12" encaustic on panel, the newest addition to the Outback Series

I am looking forward to adding additional works to the slideshow as they are completed.
Music by Thievery Corporation, Incident at Gate 7

                                           

Demo paintings

Saturday I was at the Copley Society in Boston demonstrating two different encaustic painting techniques in the upper gallery. It was a treat being able to answer questions, demonstrate examples of my work, and explain my processes. 

The first technique I demonstrated was an image transfer. I had 2 prepared panels ... a second panel as a backup with the image already transferred into the wax just in case I had a problem during the demo. I was able to complete both transfers today, can you notice the differences between the two works? I did not want them to be identical.

"Koi Pond 1", 8" x 8" 

"Koi Pond 2", 8" x 8"

The second technique I demonstrated was excavating a design into layers of colored wax. I also added colored inlays and today was able to better refine the design. 

"Watering Hole", 6" x 6"

I continue to be focused on developing the Topography series of encaustic paintings. Tomorrow I begin excavating a new design in a 12" x 12" panel that I prepared with layers of color today.

Encaustic demo tomorrow

"My bags are packed and I'm ready to go..." No, I am not leaving on a jet plane, but I am ready for the encaustic demonstration I will be offering at the Copley Society of Art tomorrow afternoon. When I arrived at the opening reception for the Marine Art show yesterday, I was surprised to see this poster directly in front of the gallery on Newbury Street. I knew there would be a poster promoting the event but this was more than I expected, almost life size!

http://www.copleysociety.org/events/lectures.html

The reception was well attended and there have been lots of inquiries about the demo. I am looking forward to sharing several of the techniques I have been using over the past few years.

My painting received the 2nd place award and was the only encaustic painting in the show. I feel the encaustic medium is still misunderstood and painting with beeswax seems to be peaking lots of interest lately. I will share more after the demo tomorrow.

Karma

Timing is everything. 

 "Drought", 12" x 12" encaustic on cradled panel

At the last minute, I found out and signed up to attend an encaustic workshop end of July, and knew it was a perfect way to better educate myself using the encaustic medium. One of the techniques I learned from Laura Moriarty in her workshop clicked and was my "aha" moment with wax. I realized layering colored wax and then scraping it away allowed for a more dimensional, sculptural use of the medium. It was the opposite of what I had been doing - taking wax away rather than building it up - and this new way of seeing shapes and colors captured hold of me.

A month later when I visited my daughter in Seattle I became aware of the Aboriginal exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum and although I missed seeing the exhibit I was able to purchase the exhibit book. The Aboriginal view of the world has been another "aha" moment for me. The textures and shapes that seem simple and abstract are actually depictions of places, people, or stories. So much is expressed in their eloquent, simplified way. 

Landscape paintings are my passion, seeing and creating abstractly has been a goal of mine for a while. It was Karma - to learn the skill then realize a new way of seeing the world, simultaneously.

"Sand Hills", 6" x 6" encaustic on board

Because the encausticbord was flat and not cradled, I decided to use a frame to add display depth and highlight the contrasts in this smaller work.

Aboriginal Art - Inspiration

"Outback", 12" x 12" encaustic on panel

Recently, when I was in Seattle, I was disappointed that I could not make it to see the Australian Aboriginal Art exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum. I have always been drawn toward primitive art, particularly Native American and Art of the Southwest U.S., which is why my attraction toward Australian Aboriginal Art seemed natural.

The next best thing to seeing the exhibit was ordering the exhibit book "Ancestral Modern". While waiting for the book to arrive, I began learning how the Aboriginal outlook of the world was a most unique perspective - sometimes a view from the sky looking down on earth, other times from the ground looking up to the skies; abstract patterns representing anything from landscapes to animals to people, often times telling a story or describing a dream. Predominant colors are earth tones although I have noticed a minimal use of greens, this would make sense as the desert (and desert colors) are most predominant on the Australian continent. I am looking forward to researching further.

I decided to paint 2 panels at the same time using the same layers of color, 12 x 12 and 6 x 6 - the smaller panel is now ready for an upcoming encaustic demonstration I will be doing at the Copley Society of Art on September 15. Both panels were taped around the edges in order to keep them paint-free.

After fusing many layers of wax, I then removed the tape.

I have still not decided if I prefer the clean taped edges to the random drips revealing how the layers were created although I have been told galleries prefer the clean edge, a more professional presentation.

Chihuly in Seattle

The past week I have been in Seattle helping my oldest daughter setup in her new home. I had never been to the Pacific Northwest before although I knew the beauty of the mountains combined with the dense tree growth would be artistically inspirational to me. I did not expect to absolutely fall in love with the area.

One highlight for me was visiting the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibition located next door to the famous space needle. The exhibit rooms and garden were spectacular. To quote Dale Chihuly, "I want people to be overwhelmed with light and color in a way they have never experienced".

A few highlights -

Northwest room 

Sealife room

Mille Fiori

Persian Ceiling

 Outdoor garden installations, absolutely spectacular.

Aside from the glass exhibition, there was an Aboriginal Art exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum but unfortunately the museum was closed on Monday and Tuesday and I could not get in to see it. I did visit Pike Market place several times (also location of the original Starbucks).

And I did manage a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island. The ferry allowed me views of both the Cascade Mountains (east of Seattle, seen below in the distance)

And the Olympic Mountains, west of the island, seen just below the clouds. This trip to Seattle now has me wanting to go back to spend more time closer to nature, hopefully that will happen before the end of the year.

NOAA radar images

NOAA stands for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are the people that put out marine and hurricane warnings using doppler radar images. Throughout the summer I have been inspired by the weather, storms, and the energy associated with these events.

Hurricane Ernesto radar map from earlier this month

"Cyclogenesis", 6" x 6" encaustic on panel

"Eye of the Storm", 6" x 6" encaustic on panel

I have learned about weather terms used when describing various storms and decided to name these 2 paintings accordingly.

The abstracts are a new direction for me and although I plan on continuing to develop this series, I am also preparing for my upcoming shows and will include my small encaustic landscape paintings because of their salability. Below are additional versions of the same lighthouse I painted last week. I now have 30 shadowbox framed works ready to go along with assorted larger works.

Cape Cod lighthouse