Firing up the wax and getting ready to do a bit of painting today.
“The Meltery”
Category: encaustic
Micro Torch for Encaustics
After my show in April of 2012 the amount of work that my design business had increased significantly. This took up so much time I was unable to do much painting for the majority of 2012 and I’m hoping there will be more balance in 2013. Now I’m not saying I minded making enough money to pay my bills, of course that was great, but I really miss the feeling and creative outlet that I can only get from painting.
One thing I seemed to do a lot of was experiment with techniques and various tools. I was given the Bernzomatic Micro Torch kit which I have had a lot of fun with.
Here’s something I like doing with it. Melting hundreds of small spots, it takes forever on large pieces and can cause physical strain if you don’t give yourself breaks (I tend to forget breaks), but it is also somewhat meditative which I find to be the case with much of what I do with encaustic.
Micro Torch, encaustic technique detail
Convergence, encaustic and mixed media on panel, 24 x 24 x 1.5″
A New Award
I’ve received the Yvonne M. Kelly Memorial Prize for Mixed Media at the Woodmere Art Museum’s Juried Exhibition.
Here’s the piece that got the award:
Unearthed, encaustic and oil on panel
Woodmere Art Museum – 71st Annual Juried Exhibition
I have two pieces in the Woodmere Art Museum’s 71st Annual Juried Exhibition.
The exhibition will feature works in a wide variety of media from artists living within 50 miles of the Museum. Works were selected to create a cohesive presentation that explores contemporary themes and ideas within the arts of Philadelphia.
The exhibition was juried by artist Alex Kanevsky. Mr. Kanevsky has chosen one work of art, or in some cases two works of art, from a total of 46 artists. Over 450 artists applied to be included in this exhibition.
The exhibition will be on view July 28 through September 30, 2012.
The Open House Reception will be held on July 28, 2012 from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Hidden & Revealed
I’ve started a new series of work called Hidden & Revealed. It emerged out of some of the last paintings I made for my show in April in conjunction with the shadow work I’m doing that Debbie Ford teaches. So far I’m really happy with it, however, I seem to have so many ideas popping into my head at the same time I don’t quite know what to do and often end up sitting there staring at blank panels doing nothing.
Hidden & Revealed, encaustic & mixed media on panel, 15.5 x 23.75″
I think part of the reluctance to dive in is that I’m working much bigger now and I have this problem being stingy and not wanting to waste expensive materials. Previously, if I made something that I thought sucked, it was not much of a loss.
I just finished reading Debbie Ford’s The Dark Side of the Light Chasers
If you have never heard of Debbie Ford and have no idea what this shadow is that I refer to, here’s a little blurb I pulled off Amazon summarizing the concept: We know the shadow by many names: alter ego, lower self, the dark twin, repressed self, id. Carl Jung once said that the shadow “is the person you would rather not be.” But even if you choose to hide your dark side, it will still cast a shadow, according to author Debbie Ford. Rather than reject the seemingly undesirable parts of ourselves, Ford offers advice on how to confront our shadows. Only by owning every aspect of yourself can you achieve harmony and “let your own light shine,” she explains. “The purpose of doing shadow work, is to become whole. To end our suffering. To stop hiding ourselves from ourselves. Once we do this we can stop hiding ourselves from the rest of the world.”
Hidden & Revealed III, encaustic & mixed media on panel, 24 x 24″
So I’m heading down to my studio now and it is my intention to actually use some paint today. Fingers crossed!