Encaustic Classes

Hi! I am taking an encaustic class online from Judy Wise, and very wise and fun teacher of many mediums! I know I've had the opportunity to teach encaustics before, but it is really fun to sit back and learn again and find out new methods, and to get feedback and info from all the people taking this course. Every day is like Christmas! What will we learn today?

Henry Jensen

Hi, we have a new (first) grandson now, and he is just adorable, as you can plainly see! He is just now starting to eat "real" food, ie pablum.

Henry

A year has gone by?

I've certainly let my blog writing go.... don't know if there's anyone out there listening to any of this boring blather, anyway.
It's time for another Menucha, that's how long it's been.

So this time, I'll be teaching encaustic, the process of painting with hot wax. I love the smell, the feel, and working with a torch!
Hopefully, we will all keep our fingers and hair and create some decent art. I can say that this medium is personally very rewarding, more so than watercolors.

Today was the celebration at Lake Oswego arts festival. I got an award for a painting called Serengeti. I had caught this scene while watching Planet Earth and put the TV on pause, got out the drawing board and prepped a painting. it sure opens up possibilities for painting resources.

Really caught up watching Wimbledon lately, so the painting is on hold.....

Menucha Week

I taught again at Menucha and it was just wonderful. I had six students and each was unique and looking for her own collage identity. Because of the low number in this class, I had time to really work intensively with each one! Kind of a teacher's ideal world. The location is stunning, up in the hills near Crown Point. The food is way too good, but always a reasonable amount. Check out the Creative Arts Community at Menucha for next year's info, but give it a few months for the classes to be arranged.

Painting in the summer

It seems like as soon as the sun comes out, giving us those fabulous shadows and allowing our colors to shine through (and we can SEE them), the studio HEATS UP like a hot car. If you're NOT an early riser, what to do? I'm going to do some airing out of my studio, maybe working with all doors and windows wide open. Changes the drying time, but beats getting up at 6am to paint. You can add a "retarder" to your acrylics and that might help. Maybe some fans. Any advice? (sure not going to complain about the beautiful sunshine, right?)

I've been collaging alot these days, prepping for a class I'll teach later this summer at Menucha. It's gotten to be so much fun, I've forgone my encaustics for a bit. Here's a few:

LOCAL 14 ART SHOW

It's time for our big show at the World Forestry Center. I'm going to put some different art in this time (some say "as usual"?). Large acrylics on the BIG WALL. Smaller encaustic paintings below that. Tiny encaustic paintings below that, and my shrink wrap bin holds originals, for the most part.
This year, I'm Director of the show and it's been an interesting process. One of the things that I admire about this group is the members' willingness to make this a special show, not one of the many road shows that some do, but one where the entire membership takes ownership of the whole thing, start to finish. Lots of thoughtful and very smart women-- not to mention the talent, which is inspiring.
I hope we can bring you into this event and surprise you with its newness and creativeness. If you are an artist, we hope you'll be inspired. If you are an art lover, we hope you'll find something to take home and remember us by. Or give as a surprise. This is a time when things are a bit tight, but we hope that you'll be inspired to give us a look, and let us know how you enjoy the art in any way you can. Thanks!
www.local14.org

The Big Show

We had a meeting tonight and I was struck by the amazing women we have at LOCAL 14.  Collectively, we are moms, business and working women, athletes, politicos, nurturers, and of course, artists.

It is a testament to the tenacity of women that we put on this FAbulous show each year (43 years now), and it gets better each time.  

I don't know what I'll be putting in the show this year myself.  I will be showing on the BIG WALL this time, and pulling larger pieces from my gallery to show.  But I'm working hard on the encaustics, and while pursuing a direction with that, I'd like to show some of them, too.  It's exciting to put something out for the first time and have people respond and get feedback.  

Encaustic Crazy

Nothing like diving in, fingers' first, into molten wax.  I've been painting with wax for a few weeks, non-stop, and it's just enthralling!  I have burnt every digit, and don't even notice anymore.  I went to Home Depot and had them cut a 5'x8' piece of birch covered plywood into smaller pieces, and have been trying out everything I've learned from the various classes I've taken.  It's really a blast.  As soon as I feel I'm understanding the process I'll need to figure out what MY particular style will be.  Or theme.  There is already so connection to my acrylic pieces, but mostly I've been working with shapes.  This has helped with the learning process, just concentrating on one theme and seeing where it goes.  

Making painting easier

Sometimes I stare at my studio and wonder where to start.  I have little areas for different types of painting.  I've discovered if I don't have SOME plan, I won't go in.  One thing that helps is to go in and make things tidier.  As you process putting things away, ideas occur to you that may prompt a project, a painting, or at least a start.  Another thing that helps is to get out some books and just look at art.  I get inspired that way.  Going to art shows is another way to get inspiration.  I guess I'm not the type of person who wants to do the same kind of art repeatedly, or I'd have an easier time of it.  

So, if you aren't inspired, put yourself in the mood by enveloping yourself in all your art 'stuff'!

A New Medium?

I can't stay with the same medium without getting bored, it seems.  Right now I'm moving back and forth between acrylic abstracts and encaustic - painting with wax.  I've had several beginner encaustic classes over the last few years, and have, naturally, collected lots of materials, but have been stimied about how really to get going.  This week I felt the kick I needed was to take a class about making the medium and the paints.  Lots of options with this, and we mixed many colors that evening.  It seems like this takes a lot of supplies, many of which can come from Goodwill, as they will eventually get covered with wax.  Safety is a big issue, and of course, being a big klutzy these days, I will have to find a place where things won't catch on fire!    It's a very ancient and interesting art, and I'm looking forward to learning more and getting better.  It's not easy to achieve really good results without putting in the hours, though many people do present encaustics before (i think) they're ready to show.  

So if you are looking to a new medium, my advice is to find out as much as you can about it, talk to people, read books, and then be willing to put in the time, and ENJOY it all the way!

New from the Old

Do you have a stack of unfinished paintings, waiting to turn, by magic, into works of art?  They sit there and develop a skin of dust, and, if they're watercolors, FADE away. How about taking some time dealing with these poor neglected souls, and bringing them out of their obscurity?

Stand one or two up somewhere and examine them.  What is wrong?  Why didn't you finish them, or why did you stop painting them?  Did you like them?  Were they boring? Let's not get too negative. Find a few things of redeeming value in them and focus here first.  What was GOOD about that area?  Was it the color, the design, the texture, the drawing, the contrast?  If the color was wonderful, could you integrate it into the rest of the painting in a balanced way?  If the design was good, can you expand that design to fit the page?  If the texture was good, can you repeat it around the rest of the painting?  

Sometimes a painting can be pulled together by adding dark passages throughout.  Sometimes a glaze over a large area will tame down too much busyness.  If the painting has gotten too dark, try lifting out lighter areas, if you can.  Or bring in white and cover over areas to add a lighter color.  How about adding some exciting collage papers and changing the whole focus of the painting?  How about cropping and changing the format? 

A challenge like this (and it IS one) can get your creative juices flowing.  You've lost nothing by bringing out an old sheet of paper/canvas and a little paint.  You may feel extremely energized.

If you're going somewhere and you know you'll have the chance to paint, bring along ONLY the old, unresolved paintings and have a blast. It never hurts to expand your mind or your creativity!  Have fun!

Starting off the year with art

Random Drawing

It's like exercise.  Start gently and with careful movements.  If you're out of 'art shape', you may need to get those synapses fired to start your left and right brain hemis talking.  Here's an idea:  if you've got access to a DVR or a DVD player, try pausing and doing mini-sketches.  Do some contour drawings, even some blind contour (don't look at your paper and don't lift your pencil).  Or find someone to sit still for you while you sketch their face or body.  Try using your whole arm and big movements, as well as small ones.  

When you've 'mastered' the contour, do some shading.  Move on and change the picture.  Have a great time!