Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Completement!

Just finished resting up from the Encaustic Mixed Media Class I just taught at Trails End Arts Association in Gearhart, Oregon on Friday and Saturday. It was such a great class with 11 people and lots of enthusiasm. We reviewed the elementary basics for the 6 brand newbies and then in the afternoon on the first day and the second day we pure and simple explored everything. Plexiglass, masks, paper and fiber collage, mold-making, waxed linen, beads, fibers and plant material --but mostly lots and lots of colored waxes. We were overwhelmed at least part of the time with all the possibilities for mark-making and transferring and embedding but that was overcome and the results were pretty spectacular. At the end of class, each person chose 2 items they waxed - panels or 3D items and held them up for the pleasure of the rest of the class. It was a fun time for everyone and a terrific creative jump start for those just interested in something new to try and to help with informing their other work.

Now I've got boxes and bins and pots of colors in the right bay of my garage just waiting for me to sort through, organize, clear out and tackle putting away. That's whats up for today. And next up after that is getting back to actual painting in my studio.  I'm actually itchy to get back there. I'll be working on a mix for my portfolio that I'll be shopping around for gallery representation in the cities and keeping my fingers crossed that the economy holds up.

There is a Call for Entries due next week on August 27th for a National Juried Encaustic Exhibit at The Encaustic Art Institute in Cerillos, New Mexico which I'll be submitting to and if you're interested and can't find it, comment to me below and I'll put up a link. Having these exhibits of all encaustic work is always very interesting and informative as you can see the breadth and depth of what artists around the country are doing in the medium.

More pictures up tomorrow I hope!

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Hot, Hot

Did I say in my last post that we've been getting weather in the low 60's? Yesterday it went from low 60's to 78 and today at 2pm it's 95 degrees. Cripes! For us this is incredibly hard to make that jump of 30 degrees and still remain sane, uncranky and upright. We Pacific Coasters are wimpy when it comes to weather - I admit it - we love our cool marine climate and yes even the overcast and rain in the winter.

And today I'm going to Trails End for the August Show awards reception at 3. One of the great things about this is there are gallery and non-gallery artists showing so it will be very fun to see what's up on the walls. Artists go all out to paint something new and kind of exciting for this show. And of course I can turn the air-conditioner on in the car on my journey there. Here are the 2 pieces I entered - one was brand new just for this show - the 3-D Encaustic Mixed Media Mask and the other was a companion piece wedded by color and theme. And I just realized I don't have a picture of the companion piece - well I'll take care of that come September when I get the piece back.


That raffia is tough stuff to work with in this way. It's wrapped around red twig dogwood cuttings from last fall and this picture doesn't do the detail justice on the encaustic mask. I already have a good idea for another sculptural wax piece so maybe I'll do that in the next little while to put up.

Meantime, there is going to be the Long Beach Peninsula Clay Artists sale on August 8th with many fine local clay artists. There are quite a few master level clay artists at this show and sale so I've got my list and will be heading over there to have a look see and purchase some of my own. Especially interested in the tiles - this year they are having a tile making workshop during the time of the exhibit/sale 8th - 18th, 10-6pm at the Artisan in Ilwaco.

So with the temperature expected to be back in the mid 60's range tomorrow I just have to get through the night and then it's back to perfect weather. It's good to love where you live!


Thursday, August 2, 2012

Space to Work

Weather-wise, the Pacific Coast has been the opposite of what's been happening in the rest of the country. We've been bumping along with overcast grey and mist to light rain every day, with temperatures in the low 60's. I'm not complaining. Though this weather has certainly not been helpful to the heat loving vegetables that I have carefully provided for, everything else in the garden is very happy. I've got dahlia's in full bloom, so lovely.......

And having been in several shows over the summer and submitting to others, I completed my Featured Artist Show at Trails End in June and that was successful as was my attendance at the Oysterville Artisan Fair in early July - these events have kept me very busy but not too busy to take a little time out to tend to the flowers. I set about making some encaustics that felt more "beachy" than my usual work to see if I liked them so here are several.......








I'm collecting supplies for the class which will be a 2 day hands-on workshop and will be such fun. Next post I'll be showing some of the work I've finished this month and proposing new larger work.

By the way, I've got a high school class reunion coming up in September and have never gone to a reunion before. Do any of you have any advice for me? Do I go or not go? Why or why not?