Encaustic Painting, Fish and Captain



Captain
detail encaustic mixed media on birch 6 x 24



There is something about encaustic painting and fish that just really go together for me.  The textures and the colors are incredible fun.  I'm still working the concept of bigger through modular, diptych or triptych.  This painting actually started with the center piece.  I was demoing to a friend and showing her how texture and mark making work in encaustic.  The panel just looked like it needed to be part of a fish and the rest came together from other 1/2 started panels on my work table. 

 



Captain
encaustic mixed media on birch
triptych 6 x 24



Sometimes images come together quickly and sometimes they seem to take eternity to present themselves upon the surface.  Captain here was a quick one once he got under way.  Thankfully, because we all need victories in the studio to keep the wind in our sails.  A few finishing touches yet to go, so Captain sits on my mantel where I can see him every time I pass by.  The small little nuances will come to mind,  a mark here a line there, a little more yellow, a little less yellow... we'll see.  But he's a keeper.

A happy first weekend of fall/spring to everyone! 

Oh and a Question for you all - do you think fish have that little dot of reflected light in their eye? 

Captain
detail

 

Captain
detail

Finding Water, Quenching Thirst and the Creative Soul

Little Fish, Big Pond
encaustic and encaustic collagraph print on birch 12x24
I used some of the encaustic collagraph prints from this post and enhanced them with wax

Finding water - water seems to be one of those prompts that is showing up in my life these days.  It first came to me just in the pure form of being parched and realizing that I need to be cognizant and drink way more water in my day.  The second appeared in the title of the Julia Cameron book I picked up the other day - Finding Water.  The third came as a chapter in a book I picked off my bookshelf which I opened to a random chapter which was titled - Clear Water:  Nourishing the Creative Life.  Think there is some message that is trying to come in?!

Metaphorically speaking, water for the creative soul is an good way of looking at things and it was kind of resonating with me (being a water girl myself).  I liked the idea of the creative flow or spirit as a river and the beautiful watery flow of being in the creative zone.  We nourish our creative soul with this flow of ideas and the ability to create and bring these ideas to be out in the world through paint, writing, cooking, quilting, knitting whatever.  Being we are talking of flowing water here, there is a constant and endless river to keep us going.  But the key is to let it be so.

Yet, if we block that river with little dams of excuses, or pollutants of all kinds whether self or other - the magical flow slows.  If we are not careful or observant, over time, clogs build.  We may not notice the constriction, the restriction because there still is a trickle that comes through - less and less as it gets choked into silence.  We move on, the creative soul is no longer fed and we start to wonder why we are feeling a deep thirst within ourselves.  Hopefully, we never get to the point of desert and dunes and no oasis in sight.  But, the take away here is that we need to be mindful of our thirst for creativity and the need to find an outlet and most importantly, let the river flow freely without constriction.  Drink deeply and let the current carry you away. 
Happy Friday everyone!! 

Cold Wax and Oil Painting, Childhood Memories in Art, and Ocean Perch

Under the Deep Blue Sea
oil and wax on paper 9x12

My husband walked into my studio and said - "It smells different in here".  He's right, the smell of hot wax is absent and the smell of oil paint has taken over.  I'm finding myself drawn to painting with this new medium more and more.  I'm less inclined to be warming up the encaustic wax, yet I still do.  I'm finding being a beginner is fun and at every turn there is something new.  I'm also finding abstract difficult, so I had to take a little break from it and paint something more tangible - i.e. fish.

 

I've been wondering why I've been so compelled to paint fish lately and specifically ocean perch.  Other than they are fun for me because I love the texture and color.   Yet, I was still pondering the connection and why.  Then it came to me - I have very fond childhood memories of surf fishing with my Dad.  It was one of the perks of growing up at the beach on the pacific coast and being able to live off the bounty of the ocean.  We would spend many a summer day, wading out into the waves and throwing in a line.  The catch of the day was usually ocean perch as they were plentiful and really loved our bait of razor clams.  It was such a thrill to feel that tug on the line and reel in a silver flapping fish to bring home for dinner. This is my connection, and I have to say it makes me smile every time I look at my fish paintings.  Do you find fond childhood memories that come through in your art?

Also, I'm starting and Inspiration Today post on Tuesdays.  I'm sharing what's in progress in the studio and what I am finding inspiring.  The first of the series was this past Tuesday. 

Happy Friday!

Encaustic Collagraph with Monotype, Print Making and Fish



encaustic collagraph

I spent my morning in the print studio inking and printing the encaustic collagraph plates that I had prepared in my home studio.  I had my first "yay" moment with encaustic collagraph, today. I've been trying to figure out what works and what doesn't work.  Frankly, I've had a lot of disappointments in the print shop.  I was feeling like the school girl crush had run its course and I was moving on to the next star struck love of my life.  And, then today came together and now I'm back in love with printing making again.    



encaustic collagraph monotype
10x10

There were 5 plates involved in these two prints.  One with the lines that are scratched into the plexi glass, two collagraph plates made with wax and two monotype plates that were the background fish.  I tend to be a bit of an eager artist, so print making is a challenge for me.  Slowing down, precision and attention to detail take a lot of concentration for this mere mortal.    



encaustic collagraph with monotype
10x10



I had some rooky mistakes and honestly my knowledge of printmaking is so very shallow that I only know enough to be dangerous.  But, I am looking forward to taking the waxed plates back to the print studio and trying another pass at all this with what I learned today.  The good news or the bad news is that I won't be able to make them the same - maybe kind of, but not the same.  That's the joy and adventure of monotype - only one.   Happy Friday everyone!

encaustic collagraph plates ready for ink
and the monotype plates ready to go

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!!