On The Easel Lately

"The beginning is the most important part of the work." Plato

In my dreams I often find myself in front of a very large canvas holding an equally large palate knife.  I smooth the paint along and it flows like soft frosting.  The room is quiet; the only sounds are the scratch of the knife as it moves along the canvas and that of my breath.  The act of painting itself seems effortless and natural--graceful even, with movements akin to a waltz. I am meant to do this.

Maybe I've watched the Gerhard Richter documentary too many times, who knows, but seriously, this a recurring dream.   I'm not questioning whether I know what I'm doing or not; I'm just painting.  If only that state of mind would follow me into my waking hours!  I have at least 6 encaustic paintings started and I'm stalled, which is why I've been allowing myself some cold wax time.  It's kind of like the buttery paint of my dreams!

My first layers....   

I image not much of the red will remain-just hints perhaps, but it's just the beginning and like Plato says, it's the most important part of the work.  Surely not for it's great beauty, but rather for the process; for the seed of yourself that is exposed and implanted before your brain and ego get involved.

Birth The Unbound

The past week or two I have been experimenting with oil and cold wax in between my time with encaustics. I'm looking to get out of my own way, trying to become less rigid, which may take some doing but it's something I really need to cultivate! My paints are laid out on my table and instead of full on painting sessions, I find myself pondering what to do next as I walk by.  I stop and I dabble, then I think some more as I continue on my way.  Perhaps the next time I stop I'm there for an hour.  I'm just letting myself be free with the process--I'm not trying so hard, I'm just letting myself experiment and create.   My favorite time, however, has been the early morning.  Sleepy-eyed but with fresh perspective there are no boundaries. 

I'm keeping the palette simple-just a few colors that I love. That's what it's all about after all-doing what you love. 

Lost In the Call

"Let the caller and the called disappear; be lost in the call." Rumi

I have been painting a lot.  Sadly, however, I have not been producing anything I'd care to share, and have been scraping the wax off my paintings as quickly as I put it on.  It's frustrating, yes, but truthfully it makes me a little sad.  Sad because I start doubting myself; I begin wondering what I'm doing aside from wasting time and money.  I will be the first to tell you that I'm self-taught, that I'm not always clear about what I'm doing technique wise or compositionally (I hope that's a word.) I will also tell you that despite wanting to pull my hair out the majority of the time, I love painting.  Time is irrelevant and non-existent when I'm painting.  I talk to myself, I wonder, I try colors, I'm curious and I am fully engaged. I am lost in the call.

"Lost In the Call" is my first oil and cold wax painting.  It's 12x12 on a canvas panel.  It was an interesting process--quite different from my normal encaustic painting, but fun.  I plan on playing with this medium a bit more!     

Community Art Exhibition

I'm so happy and excited to be a part of the juried community art exhibition at Moraine Valley! It runs from May 28th to July 31st. As someone very new to art shows, I am beyond excited that my encaustic paintings will be hanging on a wall that isn't mine! It's just thrilling really!

 

A Step Toward Home

“Close your eyes and follow your breath to the still place that leads to the invisible path that leads you home.”  ~ St. Teresa of Avila

My painting, “A Step Toward Home,” was nearly finished when I took a good hard look at my work and said to myself, “If you are going to do this, than do it.”  The next thing I knew, there was a big splotch of encaustic paint covering what had been a “perfectly good” painting.  Now perfectly good is fine, and sometimes you can be happy with it, but there are those times when something inside says you can do more.  Honestly, I didn’t know which way to go after laying down that paint so I just added more.  I fused and I scraped and I cursed myself repeatedly, but in the end I was indeed one step closer to home—I finally painted something that was me to the core…if that makes sense.  This painting business is a highly emotional journey—and I’m so happy that I found my way here!

Without Regret or Apology

I'm painting with much more frequency these days, and with that comes a better sense of personal style. I've struggled with that for some time-knowing there was something there that needed to get out, needed to be created, but whatever it was just out of reach. 

My newest painting, entitled "Without Regret or Apology" is about finding and embracing my personal style. Knowing I love muted, dark colors, rusty bits and things showing age and wear. I'm not whimsical or perky; my soul is quiet and reflective. I love whimsy and perky, but it's just not mine to create. 

This painting is off to The Art Center-Highland Park where it will be part of a fundraising event in May.  12x12 encaustic and oil on cradled panel. 

Encaustic Nature in Art

I am honored, excited, and truthfully a bit nervous to be a part of the encaustic exhibit at The Art Center of Mount Prospect that opens this evening! Two of my paintings were accepted, "Dust Bowl" and "Unsettled Plains." This is my first show ever!