New Name, Same Location

Yachats Storm                    Oil/Cold Wax/Collage on Arches Oil Paper

I've changed the name of this blog to include readers of Wabi-Sabi Painting with Cold Wax as well as readers of my previous book. I hope you will feel free to post questions about materials, processes, etc. and also to share your own inspiration and techniques. 

On my website homepage you can open a page of oil and cold wax resource information. 

A huge thank you to all of you who have read my books and here's hoping for further interesting dialogue!

My New Wabi-Sabi DVDs from North Light

Last August I had a real adventure. I flew back to Cincinnati to film two DVDs at the North Light studio. I've made my own videos for online classes, but this was the first time I'd been filmed by professionals. Everyone was so friendly and fun to work with that I was able to overcome any apprehension and really enjoy the process. 

 

Here's where we filmed. You can see my "mark" on the floor.

The DVDs have just come out and I am thrilled with them! Aside from having to watch myself and see that in fact I am not as young as I feel, I was very pleased with the photography, sound, content, tone, and well, everything! 

The DVD above features a wabi-sabi walk for inspiration, working with photos for color and texture inspiration, using acrylics, using re-inkers, The Great Cover-Up, and more. 

The DVD below moves on to encaustic techniques and inspiration, using plaster, and using cold wax and oil. Both DVDs contain an informal interview with me and my editor, Kristin Conlin. You can see the interview on YouTube and find out my first career aspirations known only to a few before now!

 

The DVDs are available from Amazon and will be available soon from Create Mixed Media, North Light's art site. They'll be available there also in the form of an online video from Artists Network TV, also on the Create Mixed Media site.

Wabi-Sabi Process

Coming Through It        Cold Wax/Oil on Wood Panel   24" x 16"

Sometimes it's the process that has a wabi-sabi quality, not just the product. I finished this cold wax painting recently while going through a very difficult time due to the serious illness of a loved one. This piece of wood and paint has undergone so many changes which corresponded with the changes I went through over the several months between starting and completing the piece. 

In the beginning I had a nice multi-layered and multi-colored abstract, mostly in a blue gray. This color was inspired by colors my grandmother used in her house. Memories of her were inspired by going to my uncle's house with my cousins after his funeral in September. While there I opened the large secretary desk that used to be my grandmother's and there was her sweet fragrance. I thought of her a lot after that and made a painting with her colors, though it didn't seem quite finished.

In an effort to finish the piece, I somehow altered it completely. It became more green, and I didn't like it much. My daughter in law came over and I slapped some burnt sienna on the piece just to show her how the process worked. I then added some cheesecloth and some white and buff.

This was during the time when my loved one's illness was causing me great grief. The piece turned into a bleak and misty landscape. I left it for a while.

Again, in trying to finish the piece I changed it. I pulled off the cheesecloth. I was in emotional distress and scraped and tore at and slathered the painting as I grieved. I yelled. After I had emoted enough, I quickly chose a yellow paint/wax mixture and put it on. I incised and scribbled and scraped back. Bits of the previous layers showed through and I saw a new positive and strong message in the piece. That's when I knew I would be all right no matter what happened.

Have you found yourself in a similar process when art making?

Wabi Sabi Wax at Art and Soul

I had a fantastic time teaching "Wabi-Sabi Wax" at Art and Soul Retreat here in Portland OR yesterday. Students learned the basics of making encaustic medium and paint. They then had a day of fun experimenting with painting and mixed media encaustic pieces. I love working with Art and Soul students. They are so willing to jump in and approach their art in a playful way. I want to share the amazing work that took shape in this class!

This student used encaustic medium and mixed media on a box!

This student created a small shrine