Plaster Fit

On July 10th I'll be teaching a plaster painting one day class at Los Gatos, California for Artful Journey. This month I'll be taking time to make a series of examples to take to that class. I want to show how versatile plaster is and how it can be used along with encaustic medium for exciting textural effects. So really, this will be a two-fer; plaster and encaustic. (yes, there is still room in the class).

The image above was done on a plaster panel with tissue collage (so the texture of the plaster is maintained) and then with various paint and distressing techniques over that. The name is carved into the plaster.

I used a similar approach on this one only I added a layer of encaustic medium over the top for added transparency; the photograph doesn't do justice to the texture of the plaster but it is very effective in person. In the following days I'll be adding more plaster paintings to this gallery that will show stenciling and carving. While these first examples are realistic I also look forward to painting some abstracts where I use pure color and texture to good effect.

It's been a long time since I've posted journal pages but of course they are part of my daily routine. We are dreaming, dreamy creatures - the day has to allow some time for play.

I don't entirely agree with the quotation above but something about it attracted me. I do think a lot of life is luck. Of course you can and should be decent and helpful to others but bad things do happen to the good as well as the misguided. There is a randomness about the universe that is undeniable; I also believe in karma though. I think we can improve our odds by doing good.

This is the opening page in the new journal. Wow, a heady time. To look at all those blank pages and know that they will hold evidence of my life. Evidence of my travels, dreams and daily babblings. My one, sweet, precious moment in all of eternity. The record I leave behind of my put-together. Why does filling it appeal to me so? Another mystery to add to the other mysteries. Why are any of us the way we are?

Last night I found out that my younger sister is having a spot on her lung biopsied tomorrow. Please send up a prayer for her wellness if you will. I spoke to her on the phone last night and was struck by her composure. My parents raised frickin' superwomen if I do say so myself. Stoic in the face of danger, capable and strong. I almost said calm but that would be a fib. We are anything but calm. Until the chips are down.

So isn't it noteworthy how we humans can carry so many divergent emotions at once? Joy and sorrow travel with us side by side; beauty and loss. Somehow we do it. Somehow we find things that get us through all of it.

Thank you for coming here. This is my way of getting through it. Making art, telling stories, using my imagination to light a candle in the darkness. I don't know what to make of this post exactly. I'm in a pensive mood today.