Reporting from the Third Annual Encaustic Painting Conference – Encaustic with a Textile Sensibility (Part 3)
Hey there, busy bees!
Welcome to Part III of my report on the great workshop given by Daniella Woolf at the Third Annual Encaustic Painting Conference, Encaustic with a Textile Sensibility. (In case you missed it, catch up on Part I and Part II.) In Part III, we will see textile artists who could use a “medium makeover,” meaning their work/style would suit encaustic well.
Kyoung Ae Cho is a fiber artist who often burns markings into her work. Blowtorch, anyone?
Aura I, Corn leaf, silk organza, thread
Penny Young is a sculptor and installation artist. Can’t you imagine this impressive piece held together with wax?
Clerical Vortex
Clerical Vortex, detail
Next up is Will Marino. Here is a piece from his “paper series.”
Ice Flow, cut paper
Lastly, let’s look at Lisa Kokin’s sewn photographs.
Best Wishes, sewn found photographs, batting, paper
I know I have my own personal wish-list of etsy artists I would love to see use wax in their work. Who do you think should become an encaustic convert?
(As always, click here for Daniella’s online version of the talk.)
Reporting from the Third Annual Encaustic Painting Conference – Encaustic with a Textile Sensibility (Part 1)
While at the Third Annual Encaustic Painting Conference this June, I attended many great talks and demos. One of my favorites was a talk given by Daniella Woolf, Encaustic with a Textile Sensibility. She described a “textile sensibility” as anything that references cloth, so the piece does not have contain cloth, only reference it, to qualify.
This workshop was a wonderful overload of visual stimulation and inspiration (we were shown the work of 40+ artists), so I have decided to do this post in parts. For Part 1, I want to share a few artists who incorporate actual textiles into their work in some way (click on artist’s name for images on individual website).
Daniella Woolf incorporates textiles into encaustic by sewing objects together and coating or embedding them with the wax medium. A piece I find particularly stunning is Beauty at My Feet, which features eucalyptus leaves sewn together.
Cari Hernandez mixes encaustic with silk in this beautiful piece, Four Channel.
Lorrie Fredette combines encaustic, sculpture and textiles in this installation called A Pattern of Connections.
In Part 2, I’ll share artists from Daniella’s talk whose encaustic works allude to textiles. Click here for Daniella’s online version of the talk.
Have you tried including fabrics in your encaustic works? Any other artists who do this that you’d like to share?
Island Girl by Bumblebellydesigns
Annoucements
1. Conference video: If you haven’t had a chance to see our conference video (created especially for the BEE team!), you’ll find it on the front page of our site, or by clicking here. This will give you a good glimpse into what the Third Annual Encaustic Conference was like. We hope you enjoy it!
2. Object Challenge: For those of you participating, if you haven’t sent off your item, please do so ASAP! We’re looking forward to seeing the results of the Object Challenge in the next few weeks. If you have any questions about the Object Challenge, feel free to email them to info@beeswaxteam.com (subject line: Object Challenge).
3. One A Day project: There’s still a week left to join us for the One A Day project (where we create a piece of art once a day for a minimum of 2 weeks, then blog about it each day) We are aiming to begin June 29th, but welcome anyone to join us as soon as possible! Email info@beeswaxteam.com (subject line: One a Day project) for more information.
4. Team Forum: New questions and discussion threads are going in the Team Forum. If you haven’t begun contributing, we’d love for you to jump in and give us your insight! This week’s poll question is for encaustic artists: Which heating tool do you prefer and why?
5. Twitterific: If you have a Twitter account, but have not yet begun to follow the BeesWaxTeam updates, be sure to follow us for up-to-date information and links. There’s a growing number of encaustic artists on Twitter, so if you work with encaustics, join the Twitter fun!
Thanks and happy waxing!
Weekly Buzzzz….
A look into the hive…
Meet Pat from Onawhimsey!
Hi, my name is Pat and I live in the south west of England
How did you begin working in encaustic?
Earlier this year I came across the word encaustic. Didn’t have a clue what it meant but felt drawn to finding out the meaning. The whole idea of burning fascinated me and that really got me going.
What do you find most rewarding about working with encaustic?
I love the texture of the wax, the smell and the fact it decides on which road I am to travel. Once started the wax will lead me in many different ways until I come to a point where I have to stop. That is the hardest part, knowing when to stop! Sometimes you might think, I will just add this or that there and the impact of the picture is ruined. So, there really is a fine line between continuation and stopping.
Where do you find your inspiration for your work?
Much of the inspiration for my work comes from water; from the seashore, cliffs and the mighty power of the sea. I guess being a Pisces might have something to do with that? I love the ever changing moods, colours and effect of water.
Do you plan your pieces before you start?
I have tried to plan a piece by doing a sketch of a subject, preparing my waxes, support but invariably the painting will not be a success. The painting will not come out as I wanted it to. So, now I, literally, go with the flow!
Explain a bit about your process of creating with encaustic.
Creating a painting in encaustic, for me, is like no other experience. A welling up of creativity occurs within me to the point I have to get the waxes out. I never know in which direction they will take me but when I am in one of those moods I have the overwhelming urge to create. The image then creates itself as if a spirit takes over. Sounds pretty melodramatic but that is as close a description as I can give. The creation comes from deep within my soul and is a very spiritual experience. Once completed there is a wonderful feeling of relief and achievement.
What type of supports do you use? Have you tried other supports and/or substrates and if so, how did they work for you?
Being very new to this medium I primarily use encaustic card as a support. I do have a few wall tiles that I have my eye on (we have builders in at the moment) and intend to experiment. Wood is another support I would love to try. So many things to try but so little time!
Can you explain what an encaustic card is?
It is especially prepared for encaustic artwork. It is high quality sealed card which can be used for wax painting or rubber stamping – it doesn’t absorb the elements! Normally white in colour but many other colours are available and sizes as well. The smallest I have is for ACEO size (3.5 x.2.5″) and the largest is what we call A3 or roughly 16.5 x 11.5″.
What is your favorite technique and why?
A favorite technique? I love my little iron, my faithful friend! However, using a blowing technique with a hairdryer is also a fascinating way to develop a picture and style.
Tuberlance is one of Pat’s recent pieces using this technique.
Tell us a bit about your studio and the atmosphere when you create. Do you have a ritual or something you do before you begin or while you are creating?
You would laugh if you saw my studio!!! I have a room in which I store all my equipment for sewing and encaustics and anything else I am involved in. So, it is pretty cluttered although I promise myself that one day, I will sort it out and thus make more room. One day!!!! The most important thing is that it is MY room which I don’t have to tidy at the end of the day. I have my laptop there to keep in touch with the world and depending on what I am doing that day; I clear a space to work.
Do you have a favorite artist? If so, who and what draws you to their work?
One of my favorite encaustic artists is called Mysticmoon. She is Silvana from Holland and has been painting in encaustics since 2004. A very talented lady whose work can be seen at this link . She, too, describes how she finds the encaustic medium to be so fascinating and calming. Depending on her mood her creativity often takes her to surprising places.
Do you have any advice for an artist that is just starting to use encaustic medium?
Having just found this wonderful medium I guess I have to say, go with the flow! Don’t try to copy another style because it won’t work. Develop your own style and always push yourself that bit more to achieve better works.
Do you have some advice you can give us on having a successful ETSY store?
Promote, promote, promote!! The worst part of selling, for me, is marketing. It takes up so much time and effort which I would rather spend with my waxes! However, if I only paint and never tell the world about it then how can I possibly expect to sell anything? Join groups like the BEE Team where you can exchange ideas and encouragement. In UK, for instance, there are not too many encaustic artists. Not like the US or Europe.
Join in forum discussions, write a blog. I started a blog specifically to promote encaustic art and my work. Try a website! I did this a month or so ago. I have achieved some traffic due to referrals and directly from the internet.
Advertise! Check out Project Wonderful to purchase very reasonable advertising slots which link directly to your Etsy shop. For instance, I often advertise on the Etsy Challenge blog . You can also arrange for them to suggest or advise you of other slots that become available on other sites. You choose which will get the most traffic.
Most of all, believe in you! That belief will shine through into your work and your very own being. Trust your own sense of direction and follow it. By all means take advice but only you can decide whether you will need to accept it.
The Weekly Buzz………….
A look into the hive…..
Meet Shannon Newby!!
Shannon started the BEE team just over a month ago, and has been actively trying to connect with other encaustic artists worldwide. Her love for encaustics is contagious and she’s full of ideas. :)
Tell us a bit about yourself:
How did you begin working in encaustic?
I first heard about encaustics 2 years ago while I was working at a university. There was an encaustics class offered, so I audited it and fell in love immediately. I think up until then, I had struggled with making the paint do what I wanted it to do and to successfully incorporate collage materials. Working with wax has proven to be a good challenge for me and I can’t get enough of it!
What do you find most rewarding about working with encaustic?
I LOVE how fast the wax dries. I used to enjoy doing oil painting only because of the rich, bold colors were more appealing to me than working with acrylics. But I quickly gave up because I found I got restless waiting for the oil paint to dry. So for me, one of the most rewarding things about working with encaustics is that I get instant results. I enjoy working fast-paced and having to make quick decisions.
Where do you find your inspiration for your work?
As a Christian, I draw my inspiration from all of God’s creation. Many times I will draw inspiration from the Bible itself or from snippets of conversations with friends and family.
Tell us about your process. Do you plan your pieces before you start?
Hmmm…this is a good question. I think my process varies from piece to piece. There are some weeks were I paint whatever comes to me when I sit down to begin painting. Other times, I have labored, thought and prayed through something so much that it just sort of HAS to come out in my artwork. My husband is also an artist, so many times I’ll talk through a concept before I begin a piece of series of works.
Regarding your process….. On the piece pictured, tell us how you put the color on. Is that oil paint or do you paint on encaustic with the mediums you make?
I make all my own colors by taking encaustic medium, and pigmented it with oil paint. For this piece, I painted with my colors, and as a final touch, added bold lines with a big black permanent marker. Sometimes I like to “cheat” by adding ink lines or black marker onto the final layer of my pieces.
What type of supports do you use? Have you tried other supports and/or substrates and if so, how did they work for you?
Mostly, I use masonite or hardwood panels. I have tried working with canvas some, and more recently have begun experimenting with encaustics on rice paper, mounted on plexiglass.
What is your favorite technique and why?
I really love incising and embedding. I love finding little treasures around the house or looking through some books from an antique store to find quirky things to add to my paintings. I also really love working with a blowtorch because it gives the layers a smooth, silky surface.
Regarding your favorite technique…..can you give a brief explanation of what incising or embedding involves?
Incising means actually digging and scraping into the wax. I often take a sharp utensil and carve out lines and shapes. Then with more paint, or with an oil stick, I will rub pigment into the incised lines to “fill” the little crevices I created. With embedding, I take images, text or various buttons or little trinkets and lay them on my piece and add a layer of beeswax around it. Adding clear medium on top will permanently set anything into the piece.
Tell us a bit about your studio and the atmosphere when you create. Do you have a ritual or something you do before you begin or while you are creating?
I almost always paint outside. I have been lucky to have a great patio / porch space to work with. As for rituals, I like to pray before, during and after my work.
Do you have a favorite artist? If so, who and what do you like about them?
Oh man! This is a tough question. I am always finding more encaustic artists that I love. A few of my all-time favorites… Judith Kindler because she’s got such a great style that I really resonate with, and Scott Reilly because I love how he allows the wax to be illuminated from behind in his light paintings.
Do you have any advice for an artist that is just starting to use encaustic medium?
Experiment, experiment, experiment! No one can tell you how to truly work with this medium. You’ll discover other techniques and additions as you go, and that’s the beauty of working with the wax. It’s so diverse and it’s hard to get bored with it!
Can you tell us a bit more about the tutorial for sale in your shop?
The tutorial is an 18-page PDF document that lets people in on the process and a few techniques of encaustic painting. I also share a list of where to get resources (like beeswax, panels, oil sticks, etc). It’s a quick but thorough read for anyone interested in getting started. But by far the best part is the last section where I interview 6 other encaustic artists. Consequently, they are part of the BEE team and have been a great inspiration to me: Kbean, Charmfoundry, Tangledskystudio, Mimidoodles, Michelemaule, Lvhdesigns.
How did you dream up the fantastic BEE team?
I’ve had some great discussions through convos on etsy with several of the BEE members and been so inspired by everyone on the site in general. I thought creating a team would allow a better (and more organized) way for us to network and learn from each other. Long live the BEE team! :)
