NEW, Things all a-Twitter and Arleigh

Arleigh
encaustic and mixed media on birch 12x12

I've had the most amazing day - amazing week actually.  On Tuesday I got together with two other encaustic artists.  Now, mind you, I do get together with other artists here and there, but none of the waxy variety.  For two hours we chatted wax - wow.   We all are very different in what we do, so that made it even more fun.  I didn't realize how starved I was to be with other wax artists and toss around ideas. 
When I left them on Tuesday afternoon, my head has been a- buzz ever since.  Yesterday I drove all around town and gathered all kinds of supplies to get to trying some of the things we talked about over coffee.  Some I couldn't find initially, so I'll take another run at it in a few days.  Seems the things I did manage to gather are keeping my quite occupied.  So what's the new thing that has me all a-twitter?  Making bowls.  Really?  Yes, really.  Making bowl forms out of plaster and covering them in wax - and cubes too, and this is where my brain starts bouncing - why not other interesting shapes or figures perhaps?  I'll show some next week - maybe when the process gets a bit more refined.  So there you have it - lots of NEW in the studio including the collage-y backgrounds I've started to incorporate.  Seems the new year is bringing lots of new change for me. 
Happy Friday everyone! 

Homey
encaustic and mixed media on birch 6x8

Mixed Media, Encaustic and Rockin Rockfish Rock Star

Rock Star
encaustic mixed media 6x12

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to mixed media paintings.  I totally admire them and I have come to realize how difficult they are to create.  Actually, I already knew how hard it is to create good collage but now that I've tried it again - I am humbled.  It took me a while, but I'm happy with how this one turned out. 
 
This painting started out as a very unfortunate guitar playing woman "rocker".  She honestly never got out of the ugly teenager state - the more I worked on her the poor thing became more challenged in her appearance.  She's been hanging out in the studio waiting to become a layer and move forward to bigger and better things.  Today seemed to be a likely day to repurpose my Rockin Rocker Girl.  So in staying with the "rocker" theme, I covered up the unfortunate woman with paper and fabric and tissue and book pages and whatever else was in reach in the studio and launched on with the Rockin Rockfish Rock Star.   I've been wanting to do mixed media fish for a long time and today seemed to be the day to give it a try.  Can't tell you how happy it made me to have that poor musician fade away into the background - you can actually still see a peep of  her hair and forehead under the fishy tail :).
 
The original plan was to make the body of the fish from the mixed bits, but since the guitar player had to be covered, I decided to go with the mixed bits in the background.  I've been experimenting with putting fabrics into the wax paintings and I'm liking it.  So, if any of you have lightweight, printed on or woven natural fiber fabrics that you want to get rid of - I'll take them :)

So, as I'm working on the mixed media thing - collage thing - I'm learning a lot - like I need more paper!! (and stuff) ;)

So, I ask that fellow collage artists and mixed media Mavens from Paint Party Friday, please to pass forward any tips or tricks to creating good collage and mixed media paintings.  It would be greatly appreciated :)
Happy Friday!!