Feeling the heat

Since it is only supposed to get up to 90 degrees today in the Duke City, I'm thinking I'll take some of these encaustic pieces over the The Wooden Cow Gallery.  I have a couple of stops to make on the way and one may take some time.  To avoid a puddle of melted wax and blank plywood panels in my car by the time I'm done, I think I'll try putting them in a cooler full of ice.  Not getting them wet, mind you, but just setting them in there on top of some ice in baggies.  Separated by a towel or something.  Well, famous last words have always been "hey, let's try this", so I'm posting fond portraits of these, my babies, who I will remember well if something goes awry.

Two, count them, TWO series of encaustics going on

I am having such a good time doing encaustics in my tiny studio that I have been working on two separate series.  The first was the 'Instinct' series, which explores my decision making process.  (I have yet to begin the 'true' piece in that series, reflecting the real way I live my life: serendipity).  

I have started another series I'm calling love/hate.  This one has me looking at those feelings that draw me into  and also away from things and relationships.  Sometimes it's an attraction, sometimes it's a fear.  Sometimes I'm excited over something new.  Sometimes I just get worn out.

So you'll find a new tab on the left of the page for the new series.  There are only a couple of pieces there so far, but I'd love to hear what you think.

Making more artworks

I have been trying to dedicate some time to studio, and am pleased to present the first of a series of encaustic paintings!  I'm calling the series "Instinct" because I let instinct guide me a lot.  I figure if the universe brought something to my path and it's not icky, so be it.  Let's roll.  

And that's what happened with encaustics.  I happened to see some work by Sally Condon in a downtown Albuquerque gallery and fell in love with it.  I had to learn that technique!  So I found a workshop in Santa Fe and learned from one of the best (and nicest) around - Ellen Koment.  I quickly set up my studio and got to work.  All of this despite the fact I have no time between my job and the gallery, have no space - I gave up my out-of-house studio and moved home, and have no money, but plenty of canvas and acrylics.  Instinct told me to do this, and I am loving it!

My new page, encaustics, has photos of the first works of the series.  More to come.

Here's another, larger piece I'm working on.  

Encaustics!

Lest you think I have absolutely no time to MAKE any art, I will tell about my newest adventure in painting: encaustics.  It involved making a medium with beeswax and resin, then adding pigment to create the 'paint'.  Then the colored wax is heated to liquid form, and you paint with it.  A small blowtorch is used to fuse the layers of wax and color together every few layers.  Yep, you got it, art with hot wax and a blowtorch.  What could be more fun?

I took a workshop from Ellen Koment (love her!) in Santa Fe in May, and have now started my own little wax workshop at home here in Albuquerque.  Ellen is an amazing artist and laid-back instructor.  Her workshop was so much fun, I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the medium.

So anyway, here is something I am working on at home.  I'm calling it 'Fiber' today.  Stay tuned for more.