IEA Meeting

Last night our local IEA Group (International Encaustic Artists) met at the home of Linda Womack. We had 10 members in attendance, food and libations and another informative meeting. There was a time for sharing projects and then we repaired to Linda's studio for a chance to try out some of the new tools she's been collecting for a class she teaches on encaustic tools.

Members Andrea and Shannon. The work of other members in our group can be seen at the website by scrolling down.

Here is Karl Kaiser trying out a tool that is a woodburning tool attached to a rheostat to control the heat. On the tip of the tool is a metal calligraphy pen tip made especially for wax and available from Enkaustikos. We all got to experiment with the various tools.

This tip is a variation on the tjanting tool. It heats to a controlled setting and the metal tip pokes through the end of the tool, plugging the wax until gentle pressure lifts the plug and releases the wax. This allows you to write or draw on the surface of the wax without fusing afterward.

Linda has several new torch tips that attach by a hose to a large cannister of propane. The tip in the photo above allows her to fuse large areas with the fan shaped flame. She's pretty excited about it! (Natasia Chan in the background.)

Linda demos the mondo flame-o. A good tool for speeding up fusing time on large paintings.


The loops above are the tools that I came home and purchased this morning. They are to be found here on the web and cut through the wax without leaving a burr, saving time and making a cleaner line in the wax.

Next month we are each bringing in paintings of a dessert in wax. I love to paint food, especially pink and yellow food so I'm uber-excited about this assignment. I just can't decide between pink ice cream or lemon meringue pie . . . oh, the yumminess of a waxy pie. So when I get ready to do that painting I'll photograph each step for you.


BTW, my friend Liz phoned yesterday and gave me some exciting news about a wonderful secret that is happening at the Be Present retreat on the Oregon coast in June. I can't let the cat out of the bag yet but for you who have signed up - big doin's. Shhhhh.