The Art of Repetition

Pathways

each painting is 4" x 4"

encaustic on cradled birch panel

Creating a rhythm or pattern by repeating the same subject matter over and over has captivated artists over the years... from Monet and his Haystacks, to Andy Warhol and his Pop Art. Color dictates mood and shifts energy and movement.

Pathways have been a consistent element in my body of work. I am currently working toward simplified landscape paintings bordering abstraction, by repeating the landscape theme using minimal lines in composition. My hope is to also create a more sophisticated and subtle end result.

The Road, study in repetition

encaustic on Rives BFK

22" x 10"

Pathways  

each painting is 18" x 24"

watercolor on Arches 140 lb. paper

These watercolor paintings are older works from my "Pathways and Transitions" series first exhibited in 2010 although the theme continues, now using encaustic and mixed media.

Most recently I discovered printmaking and encaustic collagraph techniques, my last blog post features pathway prints here - Seeing, Doing, Learning

And just recently I purchased a pin press, allowing me to continue to explore printmaking and Pathways from my home studio.

Akua Pin Press

I'm just going with the flow and following my heart.

NEW: Seeing, Doing, and Learning

“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” 

― Albert Einstein

For some time now I have been trying to figure out what an encaustic collagraph is and how it is made. In order to understand this unique type of print I decided to take a weekend workshop with master printmaker Jeffrey Hirst. A group of my regular students were also interested in the opportunity to learn a new medium and we all spent the time together creating encaustic collagraphs.

"The Burren"

10" x 8" 

encaustic collagraph on Rives BFK

We each made three different printing plates, we learned about dry point tools, how to create layers on our plates by adding wax and then reprinting. We also double printed one plate after the other on a single sheet, allowing a detailed layered transparency to reveal parts of each individual plate within one single print. I was truly fascinated and excited by the layering techniques and translucent qualities of this process.  

All of our prints were on Rives BFK paper, 15" x 11" sheets using 10" x 8" acrylic plates. We used AKUA intaglio inks and experimented with several different coloring techniques. Hopefully I will continue to explore the medium and combine it with the creative muse I discovered and connected with in Ireland.

Ireland continues to be the key focus and inspiration for my new works. Repeating the same composition of the curving road, simplified, breaking it down to the core, reminiscent of the Irish landscape, is my way of paying tribute and remembering the Burren, County Clare.

More of my encaustic collagraphs from the workshop:

As I discover a multitude of ways to create the memories of this wonderful country I hope I will be able to tap into feelings of place and belonging.

"Emerald Isle"

30" x 24"

encaustic on cradled panel