Wonky Bowls, The Pomegranate and Fabulous Cubes - Making Encaustic Art with Plaster Gauze

View 3
encaustic mixed media 4 x 4 x 2.5"

What do balloons, florist foam and plaster gauze all have in common?  A lot of fun, and a great start for 3D artwork for encaustic.   

Plaster gauze - the stuff we used to make casts for broken arms.  It is sold by the pound and is one long continuous strip about 4 inches wide.  I bought a 5lb box at the art store.  I also picked up a couple of bags of balloons and some florist foam at Hobby Lobby and I went to town.  I rolled up my sleeves, and wet strips of gauze in water and started wrapping around the balloons and foam forms.  The result was a lot of wonky bowls (big and small), one pomegranate and some fabulous cubes that I'm really excited about.

Pomegranate
encaustic mixed media 5 x 4 x 4"

 My sculpture skills are a bit rusty.  The last time they were called upon was ummmmm - 7th grade art class and paper mache.  So, I have several wonky bowls in my collection now.  I could pass it off as character - but really - nope... just wonky I'm afraid.  But the cubes - oh yeah - love those.  Seems that I can wrap around a block and have it come out OK.  I can even add little spit ball like things as feet.  Seems I had a little experience with spit balls in that same 7th grade art class :)

Stag
encaustic mixed media 4 x 8 x 2.5"

So what's so exciting about the plaster? - well, its the perfect ground for wax.  Its porous and formable, sculpture-able and allows for 3D form.  It dries over night and its as simple as that. 
Being that I am exploring more mixed media stuff- the blocks are lending themselves quite well to that.

Cat & Mouse
encaustic mixed media 8 x 4 x 2.5
(side opposite mouse)

Cat & Mouse
encaustic mixed media 8 x 4 x 2.5
(side opposite cat)

  Speaking of mixed media - as you read this, I will be in a Mixed Media and Encaustic class at Pratt School of Art here in Seattle.  The class is taught by Larry Calkins and I am over the moon excited about attending.  So, next week, I'll give you a little peek at what came of the fabulous two day workshop. 
Happy Birthday to Paint Party Friday - Thank you to Kristin and EVA for hosting the past three years.  Its a wonderful place for artists to come together and share each week.  Happy Friday Everyone! 

The Ones That Got Away, Hummer and Friends

Hummer
encaustic mixed media 6x6

The ones that got away.  Got away in the sense that they have found new homes and have flown the coop this week. What a good feeling to have paintings move on and out into the world.   I paint for me, I paint the things I love - yet, having them move out and bring happiness to others - wow, that's huge in my book.  One of those hidden benefits of being an artist I guess.  Maybe next time when I am asked what I do for a living - I'll just say:

I bring happiness to others

Kingfisher
encaustic mixed media 6x6

The Paris Bunnies
encaustic mixed media 6x6

Sunflower
encaustic mixed media 6x6

Next week - wonky bowls, the pomegranate and fabulous cubes :)  Happy Friday everyone!

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!!