Encaustic Collograph with Elise Wagner

 

Akua Intaglio Inks
nontoxic soy and honey based inks

Encaustic collograph printing...  can't seem to get enough of it.  I joined Elise Wagner in her Portland studio for her encaustic collograph printing class.  Elise is the mastermind behind using encaustic wax for collograph printing.  She's been experimenting with it for over 7 years, bringing it from an idea in her mind to where it is now - an emerging art form.

Prints Drying

A couple of times, a year she opens her studio for a workshop in combining wax and printing.  The rest of the year, she offers the classes around the country and in 2015 there will be a big event at R&F Paints in New York in August.

Inking Plates for the press

I took my first class in encaustic collograph at Atelier Meridian in November.  I was totally hooked and now even more so.  Learning from the printmaker's side to begin with and now more information from the encaustic painter's side providing me with a combination of perspectives. 

 

Encaustic collograph print

I'm very anxious to try and try again at this new endeavor, which means lots of trial and error as I make my way along the learning curve.  However, the holidays are bringing a rest from the studio and all the excitement and information rolling around in my brain.  It will all simmer away in the back of my mind, slowly cooking up some thing that will surprise me in the new year. 

Encaustic Painting, December Reflections and Blue Jays

While You Were Away
encaustic mixed media on birch 6x8

Seems there isn't much going on for me in encaustic painting.  I feel lucky if I get some hours in the studio this time of year.  This Steller's Jay is one of the most recent and probably last ones I will do in 2014.  Its amazing to think that it's December and we will be waking up to Christmas Day not too far from now.  In addition to being totally distracted by the Holiday season, I've gotten bitten by the printing bug and it seems that my mind has shifted to thinking in terms of how to carve a linocut so that the positive and negative spaces work out.  So, I got the happy idea to make my own Christmas cards this year - all linocut of course!  I've been printing like crazy in the studio and have them all ready to be addressed.  I'm feeling very smug that I'm actually on top of it this year.  I'll share my Christmas card and printing endeavors next week. 

I'm also taking part in December Reflections with the brilliant Susannah Conway.  A photo a day (with word prompts) doesn't seem too overwhelming and is actually a nice pause during busy days. 

12/1:  Drinks
December Reflections

 

12/2:  Lights
December Reflections

 

12/3:  The Best Day of 2014
Today of course :) 
December Reflections

12/4: Red
My favorite foxy mug and my very first linocut :)
December Reflections

Hoping your Holiday season is rolling along smoothly so far.  Happy Friday everyone! 

Encaustic Collograph, Pomegranate Art and Pulling Prints



Poms
encaustic collograph print 8x8

I feel a bit like a giddy school girl with a crush.  I just took a class at a Portland print studio - Atelier Meridian.  The class was taught by master printer Jane Pagliarulo  - Two half days of pulling prints -  I am totally hooked.  Jane is brilliant at combining monotype printing and encaustic collograph and was a great instructor.  And the studio is a wonderful place to work.  Granted I have A LOT to learn - but I'm kinda pleased with my first attempts.

3 Poms
encaustic collograph print 8x8

Collograph printing is about using collage or wax in this case to build a relief design which is then inked and run through the press.  We used Akua water based inks as they work well with the wax and also are a non toxic ink.  The textures the wax provides are incredible and beautiful.  I spent my time experimenting with an encaustic hot pen and seeing if I could get raised line on a flat background to work.  It did and it didn't, I lost a lot of detail, created halos and I learned a lot and have a ways to go to get it right - but there are a lot of good things happening within the prints.  Below are the plates that were used to create the prints.  They are beautiful in their own right with the remnants of ink still on them.

encaustic collograph plate for "Poms"

These plates were created on encaustic board.  We were also using plexiglass as our substrates.  These encaustic boards can now be mounted as paintings when I am done with them - double benefit.  Love - that's all I can say.  Going back for more print time when I get back to Portland. 

encaustic collograph plate for "3 Poms"

Happy Friday everyone!
And - my friend Nic over at Nicsearth.com gave me the most amazing gift - you have to go have a look.  I am over the moon grateful - thank you, Nic!

Art and Stereotype, Encaustic Painting and Franie




Franie
encaustic mixed media on birch 6x6

I just left a long winded post for a good friend, Kat Sloma, over on her blog - Kateyestudio  She was pondering the concept of labeling in the art world.  She is a photographer.  Now, I ask you.. does that conjure up a picture in your mind of what her art might be like?  I know the label photographer definitely brings up images of traditional photography in my mind.  Yet, her art is beautifully altered photos done digitally.  She is really good at it and her art is beautiful.  However, her question is - is what I do photography?  That's where her roots are and where her artwork starts - as a beautifully taken photograph.  Yet, after she works her digital magic - her art looks more like a painting.  It brings up a really good question of labeling.

So, I label myself as an encaustic artist - yet the representational work that I do in encaustic is the minority of what is done.  Most people conjure up the idea of beautiful textured abstract work as the stereotype for encaustic.  Yet, as a medium it is hugely diverse... There is encaustic collograph printing, encaustic over clay, rich beautiful monoprints  Its endless what can be done with the medium, yet is there a stereotype?  An expectation if someone says - I am an encaustic artist?  Is there a label?  How about other artists - oil painters, acrylic painters and watercolorists?  Is there a stereotype with these mediums?  Or have these been around so long with so many different representations done that people are open to and curious about what it is versus planting a stereotype?  Its an interesting subject to ponder. 
Happy Friday everyone!