Seeing Mt. Hood from the plane always signals that we're home
We’re finally back home in Portland, Oregon, and couldn’t be happier about it. It was a great trip but it was a little too long to be away from our furry kids and the studio. Bill and I both hit the ground running, already behind before we even left the airport. Since then I’ve unpacked and restocked my studio, finished and delivered two new small paintings (photos coming soon) and taught a full day workshop. I also now have my work showing at one of my favorite galleries in Portland, 23 Sandy. What a week! If I owe you an email please be patient. I promise I’m working on it.
By the way, we had a wonderful time in New York and I promise to post photos as soon as I can. Look for them later this week!
After a wonderful day off with my husband Bill, I dove back into the wax world by teaching at the conference with my Stencils and Embossing class. Photos will have to tell the story this time, as I’m all out of words. Suffice to say that we had a wonderful time, laughing and painting. Thanks to all of my wonderful students for your enthusiasm when I know you were already quite tired from the conference. Great work, everyone!
In the Round featured the work of Kim Bernard and Deborah Kapoor, was installed in the Schlosberg Gallery. This two-artist show was curated by Montserrat’s Gallery Director, Leonie Bradbury who invited the artists to share the space. I’m sorry to have missed their gallery talk, but I can never get to everything I want to at the conference!
The Luminous Landscape, a self-curated group show show, was installed at Montserrat’s invitation in the second-floor hallway gallery. The Luminous Landscape collective is an international group that explores the subtleties of light and terrain via encaustic. Pictured above is my friend and fellow Portlander Kimberly Kent with her work on the left.
"Ah, What Then?" by Supria Karmakar, 2009
Wax Libris was a small exhibition that took place in the Paul Scott Library at Montserrat and focused on book forms, altered books and other small works in which text predominates. I missed photographing this one, but Supria Karmakar was nice enough to send along an image of her work from the show. Thanks Supria!
Cora Jane Glasser and Debra Ramsay offered their show, Material Matters, ingeniously presented in their own hotel room like an art fair! I love this idea which was referred to by many as “the rogue show.” I’m thrilled to have been able to purchase 2 small works on paper from Debra for my collection.
Julie Shaw Lutts had an engaging show called Artifacts at the Kensington-Stobart Gallery at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem. Her paintings, collage and assemblage pieces all have their own unique narratives that give you just enough information to get the story started and the rest is up to the viewer. Treat yourself to a virtual tour through her web site link above.
I noticed last night that despite having a great time, people were starting to get really tired, with all of the (excellent!) demos, lectures and gallery openings taking a toll as we ran from place to place. I left dinner at 9:30 and went right to bed. (That last blog post went up at 3 am when I awoke and couldn’t sleep!) This morning people seem like they got some rest and are ready to go again. Every year I have to be reminded to pace myself.
I did the first demonstration of the day on Stencils and Embossing, showing how to use a variety of materials to emboss patterns directly into your wax surface, and then highlight that texture with wax, oil or pastels. I had full house with a very enthusiastic audience so we had lots of fun, I just always wish there had been more time to share my techniques.
Danielle demonstrated how to dip a photograph in wax
Danielle, who teaches for R&F Paints, encouraged us to break the rules of the traditional photographic print and explore the possibilities of combining photographs and wax in a variety of ways. She demonstrated color and b&w transfers and discussed archival papers, printing processes, and layering of photographic imagery.
I found the dipping process to be very interesting and realized that if I tried it on my own I certainly wold have done it too quickly. When you dip anything in wax it has to be in the wax bath long enough not just to coat the item, but to fuse to it as well. As she SLOWLY pulled the paper through the wax bath, she touched the edge of the hot fry pan, fusing the wax as she went.
Cynthia, who also teaches for R&F Paints, showed us an amazing number of ways of working with paper and encaustic, include collage, transfer, dipping, pouring, working large, presentation techniques for paper pieces and applications for book arts. One of my favorite projects of hers was the Firecracker book where she paired another artist’s poem with her book pages created by setting off fireworks on sheets of paper then infusing the pages with wax.
Joanne's slide lecture on Wax at the art Fairs was a popular event
(This talk was the next day, but as that was my “day off” I’ll include it here.) Joanne shared with us some of the painting and sculpture she saw at the art fairs in Miami Beach—not necessarily by “encaustic artists,” but by a range of painters and sculptors who have engaged wax as their means of visual expression.
I appreciated Joanne taking the time to show us the thought provoking work of these artists, many of whom I was not familiar with, but also to show us the setting in which work at art fairs is shown. It was an enlightening talk for me since I have never been to an art fair, and made me both want to attned and run away at the same time. It’s the same longing I have to attend the Olympics someday except for the cost and crowds!
Joanne is the founder of this conference and it would never happen without her tireless work on behalf of a medium she loves. Thank you Joanne, for all of your hard work year after year! And if you have not yet discovered her insightful art blog, and especially my new favorite Marketing Mondays articles, you are in for a treat.
Please note: My internet connection is terrible from the hotel so I’ll get up what I can when I can. Links and other notes may need to be added later. Linda
Conservators in Conversation
Conservators repair and stabilize work, ancient or even relatively new, which has not withstood the rigors of time, storage, harsh handling or other stresses. The conservators on the panel have worked with encaustic objects and paintings–including ancient Fayum portraits, waxen murals, wax sculptures, and contemporary paintings. Contemporary artists can better plan for the future by learning how these experts have addressed problems from the past.
The panelists:
. Pamela Hatchfield, Conservator of Objects, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
. Carolyn Tomkiewicz, Conservator, Brooklyn Museum, New York.
. Kate Smith, Conservator, formerly of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
. Mimi Leveque, Conservator, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem
. Panel moderator: Joanne Mattera
My favorite quote this session was from Pamela who shared, “Jasper Johns once said he’d be a far richer man if he were the conservator of his paintings rather than the painter.” She also noted that one of the problems she’s faced in conservation is complicated corrosion issues when metal comes in contact with wax through metal armatures in sculpture or even certain metallic pigments.
Color Mixing, Hylla Evans
Why do mixed colors separate? Why does each color group behave differently in wax than it behaves in other mediums? What is a basic working palette ? This Q&A session was enlightening, discussing the use of split primaries and revealing the characteristics of certain pigment families and how they behave.
Stories Embedded in the Wax: Narrative in Collage, Elena De La Ville
An artist who works in a variety of mediums, including wax, Elena presented the work of 10 contemporary artists who use narrative collage, focusing on the storytelling element in their work. I was not able to attend this event, but Elena was kind enough to include several of my paintings in her talk.
Screen Printing, Jeffrey Hirst
This demo explored developing a hybrid image by using oil paint and oil stick screenprinting combined/ fused with encaustic painting. Screen printed imagery ranged from small fragments to full-scale images, and multiple printings were done on each painting, with the printed element functioning above and below wax surfaces.
Encaustic Collage Painting, Nathan Margalit
This demonstration included ways in which various forms of paper are altered through the use of the wax medium in combination with other media like printmaking, and assorted materials: gouache, chalk, oil pastels, watercolors and color printing inks, and how these prepared materials are applied and integrated into the surface of the work.
Show Openings
The openings for The Opposite of Beauty and Wax and Wane: Creation/Destruction, an experimental exhibition curated by Miles Conrad, were held in the 301 Gallery. They are both excellent shows and were very well attended. The Opposite of Beauty was juried by Nicholas Capasso, Senior Curator at the DeCordova Museum. My friends, Gregory Wright and Elena De La Ville won the top prizes for their insightful work.
Wax and Wane is an experimental exhibition installed in Frame 301, the window space at the 301 Gallery. Conceived by artist and gallerist Miles Conrad, director of the Conrad Wilde Gallery in Tucson, it features an installation of the small dimensional objects made by his “Off the Wall: Encaustic in Three Dimensions” class at the conference in 2007. As conference founder and director Joanne Mattera explained, “You know the wax part of the title. As for the wane, we’ll see; it’s a sunny window.” As you can see, even by opening night some of the objects had dropped from the wall because of the heat, but had not melted. The exhibition is under the direction of the gallery’s assistant, Maggie Cavallo.
I’m here and the Third Annual Encaustic Conference in Beverly, Massachusetts has begun! I promised you all that I would blog on each evening of the conference, but in order to keep that promise AND my sanity it will have to be far more photos than words. Here’s a sampling of the events I attended today.
Strategies for Showing and Teaching in a Difficult Economy, Cherie Mittenthal
Cherie is the Director of the Castle Hill Center for the Arts in Truro, Mass., she talked about how non-profits continue their mission to work with artists and the community even when times are tough. It was an intimate chat where photography didn’t seem very appropriate, so you’ll have to trust me, she was there! What struck me was when she asked how many people in the room were at the conference for the first time and at least half the group turned out to be. It seems in the tougher economy everyone is looking for new ways to generate income, but one clear message from the discussion was that you have to EARN your credibility as a teacher before you can expect someone to pay for your expertise. This often comes in the form of teaching free classes or doing demos at art stores until it is second nature. I’d like to add that teaching is extremely hard work and takes much more time in preparation than actually teaching the class, so it would be a costly mistake to think of it as an easy way to generate more money.
Sue Katz
What’s the Big Idea? Meaning in Our Own Art, Sue Katz
in talking about art, our own art–what does it mean? What ideas, process to concept, generate the start of a work? How do our thoughts change along the way? How do materials help or hinder our intentions? How/when do we choose a title? These questions were asked but not quite answered in the short time we had to meet, but attendees gave it a good try. There was some agreement that the best place to look for meaning in your art is in your personal history. Someone else suggested keeping a book of art that affects you and to try to figure out why it speaks to you. I think the most important point was that you don’t need to know what you are painting about in order to paint. Just get in there and do it even if you have to figure it out later.
Barbara O'Brien
Keynote Talk : “In Defense of Ambiguity: The Poetics of Encaustic”
Barbara O’Brien was here as a panelist at the 2007 Conference, and made a deep impression on the attendees who overwhelmingly requested her back. Her talk discussed how the major art movements and theories of the second half of the 20th century created an unsympathetic arena for a critical reading of encaustic works of art, and how she overcame her own prejudices about reviewing encaustic works. She declared that she is a true convert in love!
And of course, the vendor room where I spent money like a drunken, waxy sailor!
Pat Wheeler's work, made during the week of our class
After a long day of travel I’m finally here at in beautiful Beaverly, Mass., for the annual encaustic conference.
Look for blog updates here starting tomorrow, but first I want to share images from the class I took last week with Patricia Wheeler, The Architecture of Memory, at the Oregon College of Art & Craft. (BTW, the internet connection here is terrible so I’ll have to keep this short.)
I’ve wanted to take her class for three years now but have never been able to make it happen. This year the dates were tough, the week before this conference, but I decided to go for it and I’m glad I did! I’ve been using joint compound as a textural base in my paintings off and on for a couple of years, but I knew Pat could help me talk it to a new level. The work below is not encaustic — we worked with thin acrylic washes and cold wax — but many of the techniques I learned last week will be compatible with a few changes.
This is the work I created during the week. Love those edges!
One of my paintings in the early stages, with the acrylic under painting and a first coat of joint compound
Dayna Collins starting a large panel. Click the photo to see more on her blog.
This tree on campus fascinated me. The trunk is wrapped with bright red yarn!
Steph Brockway making an image transfer
My first attempt, 8" x 8"
The largest of my panels, 30" x 30"
That's a dried artichoke in the niche, along with image transfers of the same plant
I have three art works in a juried show in Walnut Creek, California. The Bedford Gallery is hosting a wonderful show called Working in Wax with more than 80 encaustic painters represented in a wide variety of styles. If you are in the the area and share my love of wax, don’t miss it!
The Right of Nature, 13" x 13", encaustic and mixed mediums, 2009
Working in Wax at Bedford Gallery 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek, CA
Through June 21, 2009 View images from the show
(My work is shown in the 6th photograph)
Juror Statement
Encaustic paint has luminous translucency, a succulent surface, and warms to the touch, like human skin. It offers a wide range of applications, such as using the pure encaustic with no color, adding pigments for rich color, creating texture, casting in molds, collaging with photographs, and making sculptures by combining it with wood, steel, and other materials. I believe this is why we love the wax; it gives us endless possibilities for expression.
Selecting well conceived, beautifully executed, and visually satisfying art works was my vision for this show. I was looking for artists who give us a glimpse into their emotions and lives. Though the focus of this show is the material, what is vital to art is the expression of the artists, and it is their visual language that shines through.
I met Kristin Swenson Lintault last year at the Annual Encaustic Conference and was thrilled to hear that she lives so close — just a few hours away in Seattle. At the time she had just finished her new studio and we got to talking about ventilation — a boring topic to most but infinitely interesting to encaustic painters for some reason. Anyway, she described this system she and her husband had devised and I knew I’d have to stop by in person some day to see it. I finally got my chance when I was in town for the Betsy Eby talk and I asked Kristin to let me share my visit with her online. Thanks Kristin!
Kristin's meditation spot in her studio
Her beautiful book collection, including my first edition in the upper right corner!
On that same trip I met up with another friend from the conference, Ted Loomis and his wife Megan. Ted is a BIG personality who I was immediately drawn to at the conference, plus he stood out as one of only a few men attending. (Why is that?) He and my husband Bill really hit it off too and we became fast friends. Here’s a peek into Ted’s studio.
Ted's studio is perfect for working large, like his new painting Big Rock Candy Mountain.
I'm always fascinated by other artists tools and paints
Megan is also an accomplished artist working in pastel and glass.
If you are anywhere near Seattle, Washington, treat yourself to an exhibit of new work at Winston Wachter Gallery by one of my favorite artists, Betsy Eby. Her encaustic exhibit, Abundance, is radiant and inspiring, capturing the rhythm and movement of nature. I felt like I was being absorbed into her paintings, which I had never seen in person before. Betsy gave a wonderful talk at the gallery, telling us all about her childhood in Seaside Oregon and the artists and experiences that have influenced her art .
Ted Loomis and Kristin Swenson Lintault joined me at the gallery
Betsy Eby discussing her work with a collector
Betsy's latest work was inspired by the boulders near her summer studio
A New Day, 2007, Encaustic and Mixed media, 12" x 12"
Look for my work in the Cascade AIDS Project’s 20th Annual Art Evening & Auction tomorrow. This event draws out the very best of the Northwest: the most captivating art, most delicious food, and most fascinating people. Last year, guests — from artists to socialites to politicians to drag queens — put on their partying best to help stem the tide of HIV/AIDS. Created by the arts community who still remain the backbone of this event, this is the largest contemporary art auction in Portland.
The evening will include a silent and live auction of over 200 juried artworks, live entertainment, exquisite food from the Northwest’s premier chef’s and libations. 2009 Guest Curator, Rock Hushka, is the Director of Curatorial Administration and Curator of Contemporary and Northwest Art at the Tacoma Art Museum and an Affiliate Assistant Professor at the University of Washington.
April 18, 2009
20th Annual Art Evening & Auction Cascade AIDS Project
Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR Tickets are available online
The weather teased me this week with a little sunshine then stole it back again, leaving me shivering in my studio. I find that the more gray it gets outside, the brighter my paintings get inside. I really should be working on my taxes but that really makes me gray and painting is so much more fun. Here are my latest pieces, all available at EWF Modern in Portland, Oregon.
Bound Fire, 2009, Encaustic and Mixed Media, 13" x 13"
Surrounding Courage, 2009, Encaustic and Mixed Media, 13" x 13"
Wisdom Won, 2009, Encaustic and Mixed Media, 13" x 13"
My work is influenced by my childhood in Hawaii, incorporating abstractions of nature, particularly wind and water. Images of the bits you might flick off your coat or crunch beneath your shoes symbolize humanity both transforming and being transformed by natural processes.
The fragility of life has long been a recurring theme in my work; exploring how we grow, develop and cease to exist in our current forms, and how we interact and transform over time. Searching for pockets of meaning in the chaos, my paintings represent moments where the past, present and future are suspended between sleep and waking—that fleeting instant where anything is possible.
Here’s a video of a recent studio visit with my friend and fellow encaustic enthusiast Elise Wagner. I say enthusiast because Elise not only paints with wax, she manufactures a terrific line of encaustic paints called Wagner Encaustics. I use them when I paint — her yellow ochre is my favorite color — and students in my encaustic workshops love them too!
This video was made by Eva Lake, who offers frequent peeks inside artist studios here in Portland, Oregon. You can see more of Eva’s excellent interviews here.
OK, is it wrong to begin with my own show? No? You are so kind. Here are a few photos from the opening of my solo show, Chasing Time, at Cube Gallery which closes on March 31.
Gallery owner Kimberly Kent and I sampled a little wine as we set up
Marcy Baker and I discussing a painting
By the time things really packed in there I couldn’t get to the camera anymore so these will have to do. The next night I attended two more wonderful shows. My friend Sheary Clough Suiter, who I met at the encaustic conference last year, was down form Alaska for her opening at the Attic Gallery in downtown Portland. This show closes March 28.
Me, Amy Stoner and Sheary, with her paintings in the background
Sara and her buddy for the evening
I also popped over to the always excellent Beet Gallery to visit Sara Swink and her quirky and evocative ceramic sculptures. I’m paired with Sara in my November show at Guardino Gallery in Portland. We’re talking about working on a collaborative piece for the Guardino show so we’ll have to start experimenting soon…
Also not to be missed this month (but I haven’t been there yet!):
My art has a swanky new home at EWF Modern, a unique home furnishing store in Portland, Oregon. They emphasize organic modern as their fundamental philosophy, where design takes its cue from Nature. The clean lines, soft sensual shapes and tactile treasures of Nature translate into sophisticated furnishings and accessories with organic properties.
They installed 4 of my paintings this morning and to my surprise (and glee) they had sold 3 of them by the end of the day! I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship. I’ll be finishing up some new work this week so they will have more soon.
Their beautiful showroom is located in the Pearl District, at 1122 NW Glisan, next to the Starbucks.
My Book: Embracing Encaustic
Embracing Encaustic, will teach you how to paint and collage with wax using step-by-step instructions accompanied by 90+ full color photographs. Find out more or purchase it online here.
I noticed last night that despite having a great time, people were starting to get really tired, with all of the (excellent!) demos, lectures and gallery openings taking a toll as we ran from place to place. I left dinner at 9:30 and went right to bed. (That last blog post went up at 3 am when I awoke and couldn’t sleep!) This morning people seem like they got some rest and are ready to go again. Every year I have to be reminded to pace myself.
My art has a swanky new home at 
