Homebody

These are the women that came to my studio over the weekend and pulled me out of my winter funk. That's my end of the story. Their end of the story is that they learned encaustic and had an exciting day making work that they are really proud of. As they should be.

Here is Kay using the scraper on the wax. The leaf with the gold highlights is a section of one piece she made. I'll show it in full at the end. Kay brought us a pear-chocolate-pudding that was yum. Not that we spend our time eating - lol.

Christine made this scientific piece for her husband who works with equations and such. I love seeing the layers of images through the wax.

Hi Christine! She brought enchiladas, brownies, cookies, lots of amazing food to share. She says, "honey, I'm from Louisiana. We don't go anywhere without food!" There is a world of sociology behind that statement; a world of love, generosity, extravagance and community. I'm going to make more food for future classes; I want to be like Christine. (and OMG, her enchilada recipe! A new tradition.)

Here she is painting on her hot palette encaustic face. Beautiful, isn't it?

Next we have Nancy's winter tree in a field of sparkling snow. Nancy took to the wax like a duck to water. She shared stories and photographs of her travels and experiences. Thank you Nancy, for the wonderful bits of fabric and photography that you gave us.

Nancy smooshing a piece of tissue into the warm wax. She made the most pieces I think. These guys were really productive.

This is Nancy's encaustic painted face. Doesn't she have a shy bit of whimsy in the curve of the mouth?
And I love the brushwork on the shoulders. Yellow always does it for me.

Kay took a broad interpretation of her face. Something about it reminds me of a Spanish matador. The sweeping gray stroke of the collar and judicious use of gold works well to frame the face.

This is Christine's face; a faithful rendering of the example in her packet. It may seem cruel to ask wax beginners to start out on such a difficult task but as I explained to them it is good practice in observation and you learn more from attempting something rather difficult that you do just skimming over something easy. Almost everyone who does this exercise is shocked by how good they are at it. That really gets you motivated to keep at it.

The beautiful primary colors.

And here is Kay's piece in it's entirety. The leaf is a pressed leaf that she embedded in the wax.

I know I said I wasn't going to teach in January but this was sooo much fun and pulled me out of my winter funk and maybe you will be at sixes and sevens in January too so if you want to learn wax with me in a 2 day class just go to this link and let me know. Once again, I only have room for 4 and if the weather is dramatic we will reschedule for the following weekend.

Plus I'll be making Christine's enchiladas for all of you. Toot sweet!!

November's Shakin'

It's been awhile, hasn't it? I've been kept busy keeping the flaming skillets up in the air but I promised myself I'd get a post up no matter what. I'm writing class proposals, making samples, went to a retreat on the Oregon coast and have generally been filling up my plate with life.

The beach retreat was a real luxury. John urged me to go as a reward for a year of adjustment and change. But I must confess that life has been pretty gentle to me for the past several months now.

It's been so long since I painted that I wasn't sure where to start. This one was done on a stack of sewn kraft paper scraps (paper bags). I plan to do more of these.

Remember the chayote vine that I photographed for you last summer? It was almost covering the trellis then.

Well, this is what it looks like now, surrounded by fall colors. It is like having the green man bulking up right in our yard. It has blossoms but will not fruit in our climate but it's sure been fun watching it grow.

While I was at it these guys were interested in what I was doing. Everything is so green in Oregon; we haven't had a frost yet.

This little guy came in the mail for me while I was at the beach. You can see more of them here all decorated up for Halloween. I'm going to decorate mine for Christmas and mail it back to Lorraine for an auction.

I met Lorraine at my doll class in Portland. This is the doll she created above. I think it is beyond wonderful. Her blog is fun and filled with great ideas; you should check it out.

A friend had a Birthday this week so she got a special card (above). She was at the Beach Retreat too. The card is mixed media encaustic. Can you see the maple leaf tucked in there? They are only red at this time of year.

And my gardenia is still blooming in the studio. What a cheerful sight in mid-November. It takes me back to the prom I attended so many years ago when I was given the first gardenia I'd ever seen.

Here is Ethel Mermaid, my newest doll that I made at the beach. She's a sassy little thing, right proud of herself for crawling up on dry land and into the doll collection.

Just look at her preening on her little shelf with the other girls (and one old man and a horse.)

Finally I painted 2 paintings while I was at the beach. Thinking about the comforts of animals, bonfires, spirit guides and more.

Time to get back to my chores. John went into a neighboring town for ingredients for some new recipes he found on the net and I'm hoping he'll pick up a burrito for me. Help me send the vibe to him ... mmm, I'm hungry. xo

addendum: Yes, John did bring me some food. And in response to your requests I've listed the above image of the crow woman for sale here.

October Images

Busy busy, happy happy. Our weather here is a boon in October; sunny, warm, a lengthening of summer's gentle blessings. Every morning that I wake up to the light I am full of gratitude.

And I've been in the wax again. Inspired by the students, by the weeds outside my door and by the necessity of writing new proposals. It's a glad time.

The wood is stacking up in preparation for winter. The chimney has been cleaned and the furnace filters replaced. We're bringing in the sheaves.

This is a detail from a class sample.

The corn has been harvested and the stalks laid down to slumber.

Any season is a good season for daydreams, don't you think? Especially while one is in the studio, pushing paint, heating wax, drawing diagrams.

The journal reflects myself back to myself. I am my own cheering squad; my own grandpa. Go girl go.

I heard something this week that I'd heard long ago. Something about how we create a thing and then we keep returning to it for the thanks it gives in return. Beauty generating beauty. Hope generating hope.

I walked under the apple trees again and smelled the crisp cidery smell. There must be that smell somewhere in a test tube but it could never be the same as standing under the apple tree and gazing at the remnants of the summer's garden. The seedheads that remain. The boxes and bowls and trays of produce.

John made more salsa this year and canned it than ever before. Oh, tacos, enchiladas, huevos, and more. Full heart. Full heart.

Tomatillo habanero sauce. Fruity, spicy and fabulous with corn tortillas, cheese, onions and sour cream.

Maximillian sunflowers. These are the fall blooming sunflowers that come to replace the earlier variety. The honey bees love them as you can see and they are great fall color in the garden.

What gives more love than a hydrangea I ask you? She starts early and gives and gives and gives. That's my girl.

More snippets from the wax works.

And the journal.

Lonely little onions. 

The tie ups for the tomato plants looking like their job is done for another season.

Wax.

Wax.

Journal.

And still there are more.

Write it all down. Capture it. Live it over again. Sweet life, so fleeting.

Thank you for coming. Big doings in the coming weeks. I'll bring you along. xo

Yummy Wax

I've been playing in the wax again. This weekend in Lake Oswego we are having a big encaustic celebration. You can read about it here. Our local International Encaustic Artists Group has worked hard to put this show together and I am excited to see it. I've been out of the loop for awhile; missing the meetings due to first my teaching schedule and then my surgeries so I missed getting anything in the show. But hey, I have this place to show and tell so there you are.

Here is where the magic happens. Pigments and brushes and wax; oh my!

I'm not showing the entire paintings right now. I want to get a good hand full of them and then offer them for sale here as a little experiment. I've been too tired after teaching to sign up for a table at the retreats. And I could send them to the galleries. But this is an idea I've been toying with for awhile.

We got up to 82 degrees yesterday. It was such a joy to have the window open, the exhaust fan humming, the studio perfumed with the fragrance of beeswax. I am talking better now and getting used to the new feelings around the surgery sites. I am loving life again and allowing myself to believe that I will go on with vigor. 

On Father's Day we went for a hike and it was cool and misting which is why I am wearing 2 coats. It was fun.

And afterward we had a little seafood at a great restaurant in Hubbard called Mariscos Morales. Highly recommended.

What I have learned recently: the human body is the most amazing organism. It adjusts and heals in ways that are nothing short of miraculous. It wants to be well.

The other thing I have finally grasped is that as artists we are forever in a state of uncomfortable growth. Just as we reach one level, the one we thought would make us happy forever, we find that we've already sensed a higher level, a larger challenge that we cannot yet accomplish. It doesn't go away. I'm afraid we are doomed to be growing and reaching and wanting more and never finding a stopping place. What do you think of that?