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Beautiful work created by several students in my class including Suzanne, Zoey, Pat, Carol and Nan. Great work everyone!
I’m back from teaching a week long encaustic painting workshop at the John C. Campbell Folk School in beautiful Brasstown, North Carolina. Frontier Airlines managed to break most of my hot palettes on the way over so it was a very rocky start, but it ended with lots of new friends and 8 happy students. One of them even told me I changed her life, which is well worth the price of a few pancake griddles.
I’ve got some photos to share and even a short video tour of our amazing studio, then it’s back to reconstructing my own studio for classes in Portland. Enjoy!
Stephen masks out areas of his painting with tape while Lori experiments with a new color
Carol used alcohol inks on her board before waxing to get a nice effect
Guest artist Mary Farmer discussing her work with my class
Suzanne and Zoey look on as Mary and I ham it up.
My buddy Mary Farmer recently moved to nearby Asheville and was kind enough to join us for a day to discuss her process and approach to painting in encaustic. She brought two of her larger paintings which were a real treat to see in person. Mary is one of the artists featured in my book, Embracing Encaustic: Learning to Paint with Beeswax.
Stephens painting was a class favorite (left) and Lori was fearless in experimenting with color and line (right).
Patty explains the process to some visitors to the class.
Patty tried something a little more abstract here and it really worked (left) while this intriguing piece by Pat (right) was the result of one of her very first paintings.
Nan and Zoey try to finish a few more pieces before the show
At the end of the week each class shows work in the community room so we can see what everyone learned. I was very proud of the quality of art and how hard everyone worked all week. Even with long hours we still managed to have lots of fun!
And finally, here’s a short video tour of our very well appointed painting studio:
Thanks to all of you for a wonderful week!
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
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.
The Right of Nature, 13″ x 13″, Encaustic and mixed media, 2009
My first of two solo shows this year opened today in Portland, Oregon. I’m filling the walls at CUBE Gallery with my show, Chasing Time, from February 28 – March 31. There will be an opening reception on March 6 from 5 – 8 pm. I hope to see some of you there, but if you are too far away check back here this weekend for photos of the event.
CUBE Gallery
4136 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, Oregon
(971) 255-9599
http://www.thecubegallery.com
Getting everything to the gallery is often a big project too, but my new padded boxes made it so much easier. They were originally made to ship computer parts but I can buy them at a local reuse store in great condition for shipping and storing my paintings. Genius!
Many artists already use the excellent forum hosted by R&F Paints, but now we have a new blog to look forward to in 2009 as well. Below is a great video they posted recently showing how they make paint and pigment sticks, or visit their new blog.
In case you can’t get to Portland to see Andrea Schwartz-Feit’s encaustic show at Butters Gallery (closing Dec. 20), here’s a taste of it through an excellent interview by Eva Lake.
It’s always fascinating to me to hear an artist talk about their work and feel the enthusiasm they have for their subjects, but it’s something I rarely get to experience. Here’s a pretty good substitute!
You can find many more interviews on Eva’s blog or on KBOO radio’s Art Focus program Enjoy!
Weather Alert! I’m still having my open studio tonight from 5 – 8 pm but the weather might not cooperate so please be careful out there. I’ll have my books, art and some necklaces priced from $10 – $50, perfect for gifts.
My studio is located at 5417 Se Stark St. Portland, Oregon. It’s near the corner of SE 55th and Stark, but the studio entrance is on 55th. View a map here.
If you want to buy art, tools or gift certificates for workshops and can’t get here tonight, just email or call me to make an appointment for another time. (503) 348-9139.
Here are some of the tools I have available right now:
Metal letter stamps used for embossing words into the wax surface, $10
Micro and mini torches for delicate areas requiring a tiny flame, $10 - $15
Heat guns, attachments and cradled Claybord panels, from $15
And of course, gift certificates in these pretty bags are available in any amount!
Another great option for filling these bags or as stocking stuffers would be tickets to my Working in Wax lecture in February. More details are below.
Tickets to Working in Wax, $10
Join me at 23 Sandy Gallery on February 7, 2009 for Working in Wax. This lecture will be a rich visual introduction to the history, tools and techniques of encaustic painting, along with an overview of contemporary artists working in this ancient medium. I’ll share images of several of my paintings as they were being created, showing some of the steps involved in building up the layers of wax and other media.
There will also be a screening of Sister Bee, a lyrical and beautiful documentary about six women beekeepers who encounter startling beauty and spiritual truth in their work with honeybees (Running time 30 minutes). Tickets are $10 and are available in my studio or by mail. Limited to 25 people.
I made it through the PULSE event on Saturday and had lots of fun as well! For those of you who missed the previous post about this event, it was a challenge to 40 artists to create work in 8 hours in front of a live audience in order to auction it off for the Children’s Heart Foundation at the end of the night.
I arrived at 11 am to start heating my wax and found that many of the artists had already arrived and set up. I didn’t get started painting until a little after noon because my wax took a while to heat up. I took that time to talk with a few of my friends where also participating and introduce myself to some new one.
This was a somewhat stressful experience since I chose a large panel that would normally take me double the time I had available, but I wanted to offer something large enough to raise some money for the kids. I used this as a challenge to simplify the way I work but to convey the same message and look in half the time. I’m very happy with the work I created and it is already in the hands of a happy new owner.
I just have a minute to post today but I wanted to share an interview I did recently for a great new service called TeachStreet. I’m one of their featured teachers this month! Here’s how they introduce themselves on their web site:
“We started TeachStreet because we like to learn new things and so do our friends. We want to get away from our computers and out into the real world. We want to build community, make ourselves a bit smarter and empower the great local teachers living in our hometowns. We built TeachStreet to be a headache-free place for insatiable learners to quickly find great local instructors—whether they want to learn photography or square dancing.”
Come see my new work at Milepost 5, the new creative community in SE Portland
Portland Art Open, the free art walk of studios all over Portland started tonight with a great turn out at Milepost 5. If you missed the party tonight, the fun continues this weekend from 11 am – 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Download a free map online, or come by Milepost 5 to pick up a printed version and watch me paint in Room 105. Enjoy!
Kimberly Kent is the new IEA Oregon Chapter Leader
What a weekend! It all started Friday night when I got together with my painter friends for our monthly IEA meeting. I founded the Oregon Chapter of the International Encaustic Artists almost two years ago and it has grown steadily ever since. I was recently invited by the board to become the International Chapter Director, helping members start up local chapters in their area. I knew I couldn’t do this in addition to my work in Portland, so I was thrilled when my buddy Kimberly Kent, founder of CUBE Gallery offered to take over. She is perfect for the position.
On Saturday and Sunday I taught my Beyond Basics encaustic class with an advanced workshop on Sunday. Half of my students came from Canada to take my classes, do some shopping and enjoy our beautiful summer weather. I guess two out of three ‘aint bad (It rained. HARD). Everyone had a great time, including me! What a great group.
After class on Saturday my husband Bill and I took off for one of our favorite annual events: Portland Taiko. Growing up in Hawaii the Asian traditions were integral to my life and watching taiko drumming was one of my favorite events. I say watching instead of listening because taiko is so much more than the sound. It’s a visual feast as well, and when seen live you can feel the drum beats pulse through your body. It’s magical!
I also received some welcomed news on Saturday that my work has been accepted for publication in Studio Visit Magazine, the publishers of New American Painting. They received almost 1000 entries but I made the cut and my work will be featured in the publication due out next spring. It is delivered to 2,000 gallery and museum representatives free of charge, so it’s a great opportunity for me to get more exposure for me work.
Milepost 5 Artist Community
I’m thrilled to announce my participation in a new art tour here in Portland, Oregon. Portland Art Open will take place on September 26 – 27 -28 throughout the city, featuring 70 artists in 30 locations, and is totally free to attend! I have a lovely studio where I usually show my work, but I have opted to move in to Milepost 5 for the last weekend in September so I can be in a central location surrounded by more than 20 other talented artists. Look for me in Room 105.
Milepost 5 Live/Work Spaces
What, you’ve never heard of Milepost 5? This new development, a pet project of our Mayor-elect Sam Adams, provides affordable and sustainable live/work spaces for artists of all disciplines in an interactive, community setting. This unique community will serve residents and tenants of Milepost 5, as well as the arts community at large by providing programming space for performance, visual arts, lectures, workshops, meeting spaces, and living and studio space.
I’ll post more about Portland Art Open in the weeks to come, or sign up for my free newsletter for a special invitation to the opening party on Friday, September 26 from 5 – 9 pm, which will feature art, food, drinks, live music and more! I hope to see you there!
I wanted to blog on this last weekend but frankly I was just too sick. I had one of those summer colds that you think is nothing then WHAM, you can’t do anything. Naturally I was healthy right up until I had a house guest coming to stay with us.
My friend, Eileen Goldenberg, drove up from San Fransisco to stay with us for a week and show her paintings at Art in the Pearl. I met Eileen through the International Encaustic Artists group (she is the current President and I founded the Oregon chapter) but we’ve only met in person at retreats and conferences. It was fun to get to know her a little better over the week she stayed with us.
Eileen was nice enough to give a talk on her most recent series, The Tea House Project, at CUBE Gallery. This was the same presentation I reviewed at the National Encaustic Conference in June so you can see more information about it here. The talk was terrific and well attended, and several of us went out for a rousing dinner later at Dingo’s only to find out it was ladies night. Perfect!
As the temperature hit an unheard of 102 degrees in Portland last week I had a decision to make. I was facing a three day workshop that had been sold out for months in a studio where at least 3 griddles and various tools would be contributing 200 degrees or more for each of the six hours a day we’d be in there. I snapped. It was time to buy an air conditioner!
Of course when you wait that long you don’t have the benefit of a sale, no matter what the sign out front says. My helpful hubby and I motored on down, bit the bullet and bagged us an air conditioner. Of course then we had to install it in that heat, hoping it wouldn’t trip the breakers in my studio. Apparently my math was good this time and since we were able to find a unit that only takes 7 amps it turned out OK. Better than OK, really, because look at what my VERY happy students were able to produce in 3 comfortable days in the studio:
This was a very unusual 3 day class offered because I had three out of town visitors who wanted to attend my full range of classes — from beginner to intermediate to advanced — all in a short visit. There were 3 classes covered: Beginning Encaustic Intensive, Beyond Basics (my intermediate class) and Advanced Encaustic Techniques. I welcomed Thea and Sylvie from Canada (in black aprons) and Suzanne from Sacramento. Also pictured is Brenda (sitting) who lives in town and has taken many classes from me.
Everyone created so much work over the three days that we eventually moved to additional tables outside to make a ’safe zone” for finished work. Even that area was eventually taken over when we decided to spread out and use oil sticks and oil paints outside as the temperature finally cooled to an agreeable 76 degrees on Monday. Everyone left exhausted but happy and I took a very long nap. What fun!
