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While doing the “big clean” — my delusion of some order in my life — I found myself looking at some encaustic pieces I did a couple years ago.  These pieces incorporate a mixture of waxes (beeswax, parafix, and soy wax, which tends to give me a headache) with acrylic paints and various other bits like netting and string.  I had taken a workshop and, a result of it, loaded up on various supplies so that I could experiment.  Working with encaustics is a great way to blend various media into lots of layers and textures — something I’m very drawn to and yet feel I don’t have enough of in my work.

Here’s a close-up showing more of the texture.

And a bit closer still.

I’ve also been in the sketchbook mood lately.  While flipping through the pages of what I’ve done these past couple months, I stopped at this page when seeing the relationship between the strong vertical lines in this watercolor/gouache sketch with the earlier painting.   If it were allowed, I’d post an image of the quilt I’m frantically working to finish for entry into the upcoming Visions show.  It, too, is right up this alley — verticals, layers, mood.

Here’s a different piece.

And another.

My journals have various notes — try this, try that; add more texture; work in ghost imagery, incorporate obvious line.  It’s good going through older  journals, comparing the ideas then with what I am doing now.  It seems there is something to writing these things down.  It’s possible the ideas do seep in and eventually flow into new work.

If you’re interested in encaustic work. here are two books that will get you started:
Encaustic Workshop: Artistic Techniques for Working with Wax, by Patricia B. Seggebrush; and
The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax, by Joanne Mattera.

Here is another piece that I made as a result of the “painting, printmaking, and collage” 5-day workshop that I took with Fran Skiles (another image is a few posts farther down).  I’m calling the piece “Bridges.”  It’s about 31″ square (and, like my quilts, isn’t exact).

This is the full piece.  I photographed it prior to the final varnish (which is drying and then needs another coat).  It has some shiny areas that will be dulled out with the satin varnish.

On a base of white cotton duck that has mock French seams, reverse applique, and hand embroidery, the design was created of from some digital images of the Brooklyn Bridge printed on paper, acrylic paint, black and white gesso, black and white water soluble crayons, a variety of painted papers, silkscreen, color pencils, painted silk, painted cheesecloth, and probably a strand or two of my hair that got hung up in the medium and who knows what else. :)

I took some close-ups as the textures are hard to see in the full version.  Some bridge structures are painted to loosely reflect the digital images that are also incorporated into the piece.

There are many, many layers on this piece, and it went in different directions.  I had taken photos of the piece during the various stages.  This allowed me to compare new layers of work with older versions.  This was very helpful as I could see where the work was and where the it was heading.  Once home, I printed out some of these versions to help me determine where I wanted to make additional changes.  One talented artist in the class, Jayne, took along a travel printer.  Each morning she had the work from the day prior in her journal with notes along side of it.  Very smart!  I was simply reviewing the images on the LCD of my camera.

I’m surprised how much I find myself looking at this piece.  I actually kind of like it.

As noted in the post farther down, the first day of the class we created several “constructions” made by putting various textures into cotton duck.  The construction above is the base for the “Bridges” piece above.  In addition to the reverse applique in this construction are a series of french knots.   As you can see from the finished “Bridges” piece above, everything on this base was  covered.  It almost seems like a why bother, but it ends up giving more texture/interest to the piece.

Here the two smaller constructions, both with reverse applique, mock French seams, and stitching. The image a few posts down is made on one of the above bases.

The second day onward would start with a discussion of what would be covered that day and then a series of demonstrations.  That’s Fran above demonstrating some gloss medium techniques with various water soluble crayons.

And here Fran is demonstrating working with acrylic inks.

Each day the work on everyone’s wall grew.  While I took many pictures  throughout the week, I don’t have specific permission to post close-up images here.  These, however, gives an overall feel of the “wet” room (the other room through the doorway was our “dry” studio – where we used the sewing machine (and eventually used for drying work).

More discussion.

QBL was held at a new location this year, Onadaga College in Syracuse, NY.  I’ve not stayed in any of the older locations (although I did sell fabric many years ago when QBL was held in Cazenovia), but I heard many stories of how hot it was without air conditioning.  There was no such problem here.  Air conditioning was available full blast in the apartments and in the class rooms. I stayed in the above building.  I was on the bottom floor in an apartment with four other women.  Two ladies shared a room, and the rest of us each had a private bedroom.  The doors of each bedroom locked, although my lock didn’t work (I left it, but told the administrators when I left).

This is the student building where meals were served in the student cafeteria.  Our lunch and dinner were included in the housing fee.  I give a two thumbs up to the food.  A huge variety, and good.

Fran’s class was held in the Ferrante building (also where Jane Dunnewold’s class and independent study).

Lots of interesting architecture.

Another shot of the campus.

I hope in the future to post more images from the class as I finish them.  Again, the class was a good one.

I’m home from Fran Skiles’ five day class at Quilting by the Lake held in upstate NY.  I have the start of several pieces, five large, two of which are close to being finished; and four small, three of which are close to being finished.

It was an interesting experience.  First, I drove the 5.5 hours by myself, and I totally enjoyed the ride.  Next, I roomed with four other people who were complete strangers.  By the end of the week, however, we were all fast friends.  It was also my first five day class, ever.  While I’ve taken various weekend classes at QSDS in the early 1990s, and I’ve done some three day classes, I’ve never done a five day class.  I kept wondering if I’d make it.  I did.  In fact, I wished it were longer because I so much wanted uninterrupted time to continue on with the pieces.

In all, I created five large pieces (in the 36″ wide range) and four smaller pieces (about 14″ or so in height).  Two of the five larger and three of the four smaller are an afternoon or so away from completion (oh, who am I kidding? Probably several afternoons).

I met several very talented artists with whom I either had lunch or dinner, exchanged cards and so on.  I also was humbled and flattered by the many people who came up to me throughout the week commenting on how they like the book or my work.  Who knew? Very cool.  I got to spend some time with Jan Krentz and Jane Dunnewold, both of whom were teaching, and chatted a bit with Laura Wasilowski, who was also teaching.  I had lunch with Marilyn Belford, whom I think is one of the coolest ladies.  And then there was Fran.  I so much enjoyed her!  After a few meals and our classes, I felt a kindred spirit.

Here’s one of the small pieces I created that’s close to being finished; it’s about 13-14 inches tall.  It’s dark. Much of what I did was dark.  And brooding.  Despite me feeling very upbeat and enjoying the week.  I do believe that after listening to Viva La Vida (Death and all his Friends) by Coldplay so many times on the drive up, the mood of the lyrics made their way into my work.  This piece puts me in mind of the words from 42 — the lyrics of which I am very drawn to.   The work awaits some final touches and a varnish finish.

Death’s Door seems a good title.  It  is on a base of cotton duck that includes machine stitching and hand embroidery.  The work includes acrylic paints,  two types of painted Chinese and other papers, painted silk fabric, painted cheesecloth, water soluble crayons,  white and black gesso, and India ink.