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Encaustic – painting with beeswax

Friday, January 16th, 2009

Windy Maple Leaves, 8H x 10W x 2D inches encaustics

1) design inspired by Flamboyant Tree Seed Pods, white beeswax inlay on black, and 2) using a print of an old painting Dahlias as a base, techniques were more spontaneous, each 10H x 8W x 2D inches encaustics

Encaustic Artist Deanna Wood offers her studio space and supplies to her students on days when she’ll be there working. It’s a bargain for $30 per day so I went yesterday and finished the two pieces above. Painting with wax is a messy process, and Deanna’s studio is all set up for it, so it’s a perfect arrangement for artists who work primarily in other mediums, who don’t yet have their own supplies and wish to continue exploring encaustics. BYOS – Bring your own surface!

With a FAQ page on her website, Deanna outlines a brief history about encaustics and herself. Her most recent solo exhibition displays a portion of the extensive amount of encaustic works created around the theme of tornadoes. Including a few multi-media pieces as well, the show runs January 10th – February 29th, 2009 at the Leslie Powell Foundation and Gallery in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Salish Spindle Whorl Chair finished

Saturday, December 20th, 2008

About the chairs: Art on Art on Art – A Tribute to Creativity

Each functional, comfortable 29 x 29 x 29 inch replica of ancient Art or artifact re-utilizes vintage plastic lawn chairs that were considered Art during the 1960’s. The original structures, damaged or unusable were refurbished by a process of weaving canvas strips along with white glue paper-mache style over the entire plastic top and bottom, and multiple layers of drywall compound sanded in between coats. Designs are drawn with graphite, painted with acrylics and a few coats of varnish for durability, then waxed to finish and enrich the colors. Two more Solaire chairs and other styles of chairs are in various stages of completion yet to be embellished with historic Art themes from other cultures. Other styles of chairs are also in progress.

The skeletal structure of these chairs, called Solaire chairs, were manufactured during the 1960s and 1980s. Art in their own day, these particular ones were unusable; in poor condition they were bound for the landfill sight. Originals designed by Fabiano and Panzini, a French Canadian team, the Solaire chairs are now collectors items, some selling for $500.

The first chair to be up-cycled was a large replica of a Mayan bowl. The Mayan culture (Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and parts of Honduras, 900 B.C. – 900 A.D. Common Era) developed a very complex written language using pictographs. Many of these were facial expressions and hand gestures. The bowl displays the birth of the Maize God, and along the top edge the name of the bowl’s owner is written, as well as possibly what it was used for.

Salish Carved Wood Whorl
Whorls are weights that stabilize used for spinning yarn. The yarn in this case would have been wound just above the whorl. Spinning yarn and weaving fabric are some of humankind’s oldest technology. Left: example of a spindle with whorl, Eve Spinning Illuminated Manuscript c. 1170 A.D.

Historically everywhere wood has been used for tools, utensils and everyday items, they were often carved. The original spindle whorl that was the inspiration for this chair was used by a Salish Northwest Pacific coast community living south and east of Vancouver Island. Here a central human figure holds two otters. A Kwakiutl (also living in Vancouver Island territory) prayer to a Cedar tree prayer was very much a part of the inspiration for this chair. It reads: “Look at me friend! I come to ask you for your dress, since there is nothing you cannot be used for. I come to beg you for this, Long-life maker”.

December 18th: Finishing details, further definition with acrylics and two coats of varnish, waxed. Decided against the decoupage of the Kwakiutl prayer to a Cedar tree because it does not look as good as hoped. December 16th: Carved the plaster in areas then inlaying purple for contrast rather than black. Purple glazes also make yellows much richer.
The back and under-side of the chair is painted to look carved. The undercoat of yellows shines through succeeding layers, and carved wood textures are created with varnish leaving raised brushstrokes, and am trying whatever else I can think of to make it look like wood! More modeling with plaster and light sanding, then redrawing with graphite, and the design is continually adjusted.

Oxide Gallery

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

Four pieces will show December 2nd, 2008 through February 28th, 2009 alongside other artists’ work at the Oxide Gallery, 501 West Hickory Street, Denton, TX.
Showing are Calgary In September, Gold In The Mountains 02, Mayan Bowl Replica Chair, and Zen Garden 08. Join us at the Show Opening for music, refreshments, and 10% off purchases on December 2nd, 2008, 6 – 9 p.m.

VAST/VACD Exhibition

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

Merit Award winning Adam, 11H x 14W inches graphite on paper, 21 x 25 inches framed will be on exhibit as part of VAST Connections, running from October 3rd through November 1st. Sponsored by the Visual Arts Society of Texas and the Visual Arts Coalition of Dallas, the exhibition will be held at the VACD Gallery in the Thompson Fine Arts, Inc. Building, 2902 Maple Avenue, Suite A , Dallas, TX. Gallery hours: Fri, Sat: 11a.m. – 5 p.m.

Shadows of Summer update

Monday, September 22nd, 2008

Shadows of Summer, 60H x 40W x 3D inches acrylics on canvas.

Going for the magic every hour

Friday, August 15th, 2008

Magic Hour finished (Gitxsan Totem Pole, Thunderbird Park, Victoria, BC Canada), 60H x 40W x 3D inches acrylics on canvas, sturdy home-built stretcher frame, wrapped sides painted, narrow trim frame. Here is an earlier post with information about this totem pole.

Great moments in painting are addictive, when so completely immersed in the work that time becomes non-existent… The Zone! I’ve had a good week with this one, partly because of getting past the habit of trying to control the outcome. Things happen in every painting that are not planned, and the endless choices are part of the fun.

Painting is considered to be a two-dimensional undertaking, but it’s so much more. While lost in the work process, all the dimensions of the subject are explored, including the deeper dimensions of ourselves. While painting we discover our convictions and the means to ask how far we are willing to go to stand up for them.

Work every day is about continually reevaluating decisions, taking responsibility for choices made, being honest about mistakes, shortcomings and limitations of media and self, and digging deep to find compromise between technical and intuitive solutions. It’s about control of all those elements, combined with easing up on trying to control too much. All this and more translates onto a flat surface as we hope to give the illusion of depth…if that isn’t magic, I don’t know what is!

Post-dated Note: When choosing this totem pole that is erected in Thunderbird Park at the RBC Museum in Victoria, I didn’t realize that it’s the same one that Emily Carr painted in 1928. More magic! Here is a link to more information about this totem and the Gitxsan Poles moved from Gitanyow (formerly Kitwankool) B.C.

A word here about artists’ representation of First nations or any other cultural/historic works: subjects are painted with the greatest honor and respect, with purpose to study and draw interest to the importance of appreciating our multi-cultural world and the unique characteristics of each and every culture. This is what artists do. Our differences as cultures are connected across time and place, as there are many common traits and themes expressed through Art everywhere.
Robert Genn and readers of The Painters’ Keys have some very interesting comments all around the board about this topic.

Salt Spring Island Fog

Monday, July 14th, 2008

Salt Spring Island Fog, 18H x 24W inches graphite, eraser, dry pastels, colored pencils on paper, burnt umber frame size 29H x 35W x 3D inches, accepted for the Visual Arts Society of Texas 2009 Calendar. All accepted original works will be displayed. Meet the Artists and purchase a signed calendar (or more!) on November- December, 2008 at The Chestnut Tree in Denton, TX.

Post-dated Note: Article published in the Denton Record Chronicle, Entertainment section February 8th, 2009

VAST 125 Mile Exhibition

Monday, June 30th, 2008

White Pine Bows, 20H x 34W x 2D inches acrylics on canvas, wrapped sides painted, trim frame, just accepted into the 125 Mile Exhibition July 24th – August 15, 2008 presented by VAST in partnership with the Department of Visual Arts at Texas Women’s University (TWU).

Opening Reception on July 31st, 2008 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m. July 31st, 2008 at the TWU Arts and Sciences Building, Denton, TX.
Post-dated note: Sold in 2010.

New marketing strategies

Sunday, May 11th, 2008

Grackle Party, Dallas Texas, 11H x 9W inches graphite and colored pencils, white double mat, white frame with crackle finish

In her Wed. April 30th blog post, my friend Chris Bolmeier writes about an older painting she revitalized, and in this case it improved dramatically. Surprise 2 supports what I wrote in yesterday’s post: many paintings need a period of rest before we know how to solve them. In any Artist’s home/studio there are at least ten or so paintings hanging around or put away in unfinished states. If it isn’t sold immediately, chances are 50/50 it will continue to change as we attempt to improve it until we know it’s truly finished.

Chris is trying new marketing strategies, and offering anyone who sells her work a 20% cut. A little out of the ordinary to show and offer another artist’s work for sale on my own website, but this is a brilliant idea she has, and I don’t mind trying to help promote her work. Good Luck with your sales, Chris!

Artini, Shaken Not Stirred

Friday, April 25th, 2008

Artini, Shaken Not Stirred – 24H x 24W inches acrylics on canvas, wrapped sides painted, frame unnecessary, hung diagonally.