Local Library Blooming with Charlotte's Waxy Book

Not only do our local branch libraries provide books, DVDs, computers etc. but our library system offers art classes! I was fortunate to teach a lively group of seven students today. They created an assemblage with a used book, a Frozen Charlotte doll, encaustic medium, encaustic paint, and a wild assortment of embellishments, dried plant matter, teabags, collage papers, and in one case, "Something I found on the floor that I knew would look good in my piece."

The students were all new to encaustic but took to it with gusto. I am so impressed by these creations which were made in 3 hours. A very fun afternoon for all of us!

This book is a transformed copy of Treasure Island. Charlotte's drape is a piece of dried teabag.

The maker of this piece had Venice in mind

An Asian look for this waxy book. Charlotte is surrounded by dried tea flakes.

We all got a kick out of this piece: Charlotte goes wild!

A  creepy and mysterious Goth piece

This piece has a strong East Indian feel. The copper and gold accents were done with large creamy oil pastels.

This book has some deliberately torn pages on the left. The bold swathes of purple and turquoise were the perfect finishing touches. 

Wondrous Wax Workshop: Encaustic Class Coming Up

Just two spaces left in my next studio class in Portland, Oregon! You'll find more information/registration on my site.http://www.serenabarton.com. Hope you'll join us if you are in the area for lots of waxy fun!

Wondrous Wax Workshop: Encaustic Painting & Collage
Saturday, February 21, 2015 1-5

The translucent qualities of the encaustic wax medium and paint create depth, mystery and complexity. Fall in love with the whole ball of wax! You’ll learn to make encaustic medium and encaustic paint, use collage and photo transfer with encaustic, and add 3-D embellishments in this fun and informal class. We’ll incise, add oil paint, specialty papers, and more. Whether you are new to encaustic or an old wax hand, you’ll discover something new while minding your own beeswax! You’ll leave with several painting and/or collages and all the information you need to get started on your own!

               Sinplify                                                  Encasutic/Collage on Panel

Transformations in Oil and Cold Wax

Kudos to my talented and adventurous students who took my oil and cold wax class over the past two Saturdays! The first session of the class involved starting many pieces and learning techniques like scraping, incising, using a squeegee and many weird utensils to produce texture. We used birch boards and two kinds of paper for the pieces. Each student also put a textured layer of Venetian Plaster on a cradled board so they could paint over it at the second session. Finally, they learned how to add collage in the form of images on tracing paper for added interest.

Using a palette knife to add a new layer of paint and cold wax

Using a pottery scraper to reveal previous layers

The invaluable squeegee

During the first session, students had to work on trusting that their pieces would turn out to be paintings. Oil and wax pieces undergo many changes and at first they may not look so great! By the end of the two sessions, the work was looking wonderful. I managed to get photos of most of the finished work and there are many more pieces waiting for more oil and wax.

This student let me guide her toward eloquent simplicity in her work. Here's a piece on plaster with a touch of collage.

This student explored rich colors with subtle pattern and movement. The incising is a perfect accent.

Here she lets earlier layers come through.

Rich color appeared in many of this student's pieces. Again, you can see a touch of collage here.

In earlier stages

The finished piece

                       

This student created dreamy imaginary landscapes. Stillness and movement combine in this piece.

An abstract landscape-again a perfect blend of stillness and movement

A student incises into her layers with a bamboo skewer. The edges of the paper are taped.

Here's what the piece looks like when the tape is removed. The border sets off the pieces on paper beautifully. We had a lot of fun at the end of the second day when one student peeled the tape off her paper piece. It made such a difference! Others were going to wait, but we ended with a frenzy of tape-removing.

The first reveal!

Here are some more reveals:

I'll be teaching a one day oil and cold wax class at Art and Soul Retreat here in Portland, OR on March 6. Only two spots left! People are loving this medium!

Banish the January Blahs With An Art Class!

Winter Clarity                              Oil/Cold Wax on Panel

 Happy New Year to you all!

I'm excitedly gathering supplies for my upcoming two-session class at my studio. We'll explore using oil paint, cold wax medium, and mixed media on wood panels and on two kinds of oil-friendly paper.This class is all about experimentation, boldness, and intuition--a great way to start 2015.

Cold wax mixes with oil paint to produce a gorgeous paint surface with a subtle sheen. In this two session workshop you’ll experiment with free and bold abstract work. Enjoy exploring this unusual and interactive medium. You’ll leave with several gorgeous pieces!

January 10 & 17   11-5

SE Portland, OR

Two spots left! Information/Registration on my site.

More Mosaic Collages and Encaustic Class Reminder

More mosaic background collages from Linda Kunsman! The below is from her blog. Check it out to see this and other inspiring work from her.

 
Those of you who stopped by last week know I shared my enthusiasm for a tutorial  YouTube video Serena Barton shared on her blog recently. Curb your enthusiasm? Not me! If you didn't check it out, go here for the links. I have two more canvases to share this week :)

  This is how the canvas started:

                                                   just  squares of paper scraps in my stash


   And finished:

                                                    Seek Within      (6" x 8" canvas board)

Reinkers, acrylic glazing medium, blue acrylic paint, card stock stencil, door image (Paper Whimsy), recycled dryer sheet, dress pattern tissue paper, typed words, pencil, black ink pad.

  the second canvas base:

  And the finished  canvas:

                                             My Heart Has a Window    ( 6" x 8" canvas board)


Reinkers, glazing medium, green/ green black acrylic paints, Victorian pattern wall stencil, window image and girl image (Paper Whimsy), found words, recycled dryer sheet, black ink pad.

 What I love most about creating these is just laying down the various papers,  seeing the transformation and  really just playing with mixes of reinkers and glaze directly on the substrate for some really good results. I either start with a word/ sentiment or an image and go from there.  BTW, Serena kindly took the time to send me a note and share my work on her blog. She also heartily agreed that if you create something inspired by her videos or her book or classes to contact her and let her know.  I so appreciate the time she takes with everyone and the fact that she has given me a way to put my  art and spirit into these projects.




Thank you, Linda!


                                                                          ***



Reminder to those in the Portland OR area:
Coming up on March 8

 

Chosen        Encaustic/Mixed Media on Wood Panel

  Layers of History with Encaustic

The translucent qualities of the encaustic (beeswax and resin) wax medium and paint create depth, mystery and complexity. You will learn to make encaustic medium and encaustic paint, incise, add oil paint, use cheesecloth, specialty papers, and more You'll leave with several paintings and/or mixed media pieces and all the information you need to get started on your own!

March 8, 2014 1-5 PM
Tuition: 90. Supplies included 

Register on my website

Art and Soul Coming to Portland in April!

It's not too soon to be thinking of Art and Soul Retreat here in Portland OR, April 7-14! We have a great lineup of classes for you. Below is information about the classes I'll be teaching. Be sure to check out the Art and Soul Class List for more information and registration.

Wabi-Sabi Paper

 Monday, April 7, I'll be teaching an all day workshop called "Papers Wabi-Sabi." Below you'll find a video with examples of the kind of hand-decorated papers you can create in this fun and informal workshop.

 Introduction Video

 Monday evening we'll make a "Strange Little Book."

Strange Little Book

Create a quirky, unique little book using mostly recycled materials--no stitching involved! In this fun and informal class you'll use weird things like bizarre found photos, old teabags, coffee, old and odd book and magazine pages, old embellishments, and miscellaneous do-dads. You'll use cold connections to fasten the pages together in your own eccentric way. You'll love the lovely and unusual little book you leave with!

Introduction Video

Tuesday, April 8, I"ll teach an evening class called "Waxing Literary with Charlotte."

Literary Charlotte

I’m excited to share with you how you can make a rich and mysterious work of art by waxing an old book and incorporating a Frozen Charlotte doll. You’ll make a 3-D art piece with encaustic medium, oil paint, found objects, vintage papers, and embellishments. You’ll learn how to incise, carve niches into the waxed book, and color the wax. You’ll also learn how to add an aged or gothic touch to your work. You'll leave with a unique mixed media work of art!

 Introduction Video

Wednesday, April 9 will be an exciting all day encaustic class, "Mind Your Own Beeswax."

Encaustic Painting:  A Full Cup

 

The translucent qualities of the encaustic wax medium and paint create depth, mystery and complexity. Fall in love with the whole ball of wax! You’ll learn to make encaustic medium and encaustic paint, use collage and photo transfer with encaustic, and add 3-D embellishments in this fun and informal class. We'll incise, add oil paint, cheesecloth, specialty papers, and more. Whether you are new to encaustic or an old wax hand, you’ll discover something new while minding your own beeswax! You'll leave with several painting and/or collages and all the information you need to get started on your own!

  

 Introduction Video

 I hope to see you here in Portland in April for one of the most inspirational and friendly retreats around!