A Busy Time and Exciting News

Patterns of Migration      Oil and Cold Wax on Canvas

    

I can't believe it's been a month since I was in Taos, NM to teach with Leighanna Light at her studio. Taos was wonderful, with perfect weather. We had a fantastic group of participants in both workshops, my encaustic class, and Leighanna's class where we started our unique canvas books. 

First, I'll tell you a bit about the above cold wax/oil painting, "Patterns of Migration." I painted this piece on an old acrylic painting. Usually I use a wood support as that is better in general for cold wax, so that it doesn't crack. This canvas was just sitting around and it is pretty big so I decided to go ahead but use fewer layers of oil and wax than I usually do.

I didn't have anything in mind before I started. Before I left for Taos I painted a couple of light layers of red oil and wax, using three different reds. I covered over the original painting and incised into the red layers and added a bit of other texture. When I came back the layers were dry and then I went to work with cobalt blue oil and cold wax. What appeared was, to me, an evocation of New Mexican color and light. While in Taos I read a moving and enlightening book on the Anasazi and their descendents in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Mexico. The feelings I had while reading and digesting the book came out in this piece. I love how that works!

The book is called House of Rain and I highly recommend it.

Here are some images from Leighanna's class: "Lily's Book."

Leighanna's completed book sample

We painted canvas with reinkers and let them dry in the sun

We covered our pages with Venetian plaster, heavy gel medium, and other mediums

A student leafs through her pages prior to sewing the book together

We visited the Earthships on our field trip day. This student incorporated the experience into her book

Another yummy page spread with a pocket

The first page spread in my book

I will be posting photos of some of the encaustic work from my class on my Wabi-Sabi blog. 

I am excited to announce that I have contracted with North Light Publishing (F and W Media) to write a second book! This book will be on painting and mixed media work with oil and cold wax with an emphasis on both techniques and on the intuitive creative process. 

I have twelve amazing oil and cold wax artists who will be featured in the book. I'll be posting further about the process of making a book...

Hope you are all having an enjoyable and creative summer!

The Hunting and Gathering Report: Victorian Scrapbook

I stopped by Monticello Antique Mall with my daughter this afternoon. I couldn't resist this sweet Victorian era scrapbook.  Here's a closeup of the cover:

The ad on the left is for something called Pe-Ru-Na, guaranteed to cure the ills of life. I was pretty eager to get some of this so I googled it. It was a patent medicine for coughs and colds and contained 18% alcohol. Guess I don't want it after all.

Check out this site for more information on this cure for all ills.

These are all high resolution images, so feel free to download them to use in collage if you are so inclined

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Pictures from Art and Soul Retreat Portland

Finally, I'm catching up with blog posts. I have lots of wonderful images of student work from my classes at our recent Portland OR retreat. It's taken me a while to collect them from my camera, tablet, and phone. And--we instructors and organizers have been busy preparing for next year's retreat here in Portland!

I'll be telling you about our exciting lineup of classes for 2015 soon but first I want to share this work below.

The first section of photos is from an evening class called "A Strange Little Book." Students decorated pages to become part of an unsewn book. We used cold connections of wire and embellishments to fasten the books. I think this work is awesome, especially as the evening classes are less than three hours!

I'd love to  have some images of these books all completed, hint, hint:)

The pictures below are from another evening class, "Waxing Literary with Charlotte." The students waxed vintage books with encaustic medium and paint. They added collage and embellishments, including a Frozen Charlotte doll in each one. I love how differently and beautifully they all turned out!

I'll soon be posting photos from my class, "Papers Wabi-Sabi" on my other blog. A hint about next year--I'll be teaching the class again with the addition of an evening class with Liz Kettle, who will be showing you how to sew a tote bag from your decorated papers! (If you've taken the class previously, bring those papers to Liz' evening class and sew them up!)

The Hunting and Gathering Report (with collage pages for you)

After my chiropractic appointment this morning, I took my newly aligned self for a little walk around Portland's Brooklyn neighborhood. I chanced into Brooklyn Antique Mall, full of reasonably priced goodies of all kinds. 

Today's Haul: An old Arabic/English dictionary, a 1918 Spanish textbook, a reversible Japanese purse, and a plastic thingy that should be great for cold wax texturing.

Side View of Dictionary

Front of Dictionary

Japanese Purse: About 5 x 6"

Reverse Side of Purse

There are some loose pages in the dictionary that I'll use for collage. I've scanned some of the pages as well as some from the old Spanish textbook. The textbook is ideal for an altered book.

Love the circular library stamp!

Below are some high resolution images from today's finds for your collage enjoyment!

Art and Soul Retreat Portland is almost here!

On the Brink
Vintage book, encaustic paint, teabags, vintage embellishments, chicken wire, plant material
I'll be teaching this class,"Waxing Literary with Charlotte" at Art & Soul

I'm so excited for Art and Soul which starts April 7 in Portland. I'll be teaching two day and two evening classes. I still have spots open, so check out my classes and those of all our wonderful instructors. Even though I live in town, I'm going to take a mini-vacation and stay three nights in comfort at the Red Lion Inn at Janzen Beach. Can't wait to hang out with instructors and students from years past! It's like a big family reunion (without the dysfunction:)

Friday of Art and Soul week I'm going to take a class myself from Jane Davies. I'll be sure to show you what I create in the class.

For the latest hunting and gathering report visit my Wabi-Sabi Art Workshop blog.

Valorie's collage from "Layers of Memory and Imagination"

Valorie, a student in my online class, "Layers of Memory and Imagination" ( at Creative Workshops) sent me a picture of her new collage creation . Here's what she says about it:

"This one is based on what I learned from lessons 1 and 2. I am really enjoying the videos. This is 8 x 10" board, using acrylic paint, re inkers and glazing medium and Neo color pencils. Thank you! Now I see some things I want to clean up a little bit so I will likely add more but this is the basic piece. I have several more in progress I am eager to play with."

This piece is so atmospheric! I can't help but start to create a narrative in my mind while at the same time I enjoy the mystery. Just lovely, Valorie!

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!


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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