Sun Breaks in the Forecast

Encaustic Painting with Shellac, Half Time, and Helio

2016-04-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

Helio

Encaustic Mixed Media on birch 8x6

I've realized that it appears I've gone quiet. I'm so busy painting as much as I can these days, that yes, in a way I have gone quiet. My time where I have my studio is cut in half and then that time is cut in half again... so it means, that when I can paint - I hunker down and paint as much as possible. But, even with shorter studio time, I have incorporated some very interesting new techniques that take some consideration and practice to find my way. I'm finally beginning to show a little of what I am doing with encaustic painting, shellac and alcohol inks.
I spent an incredible day in the studio of Alicia Tormey here in Seattle. She is amazing and her techniques for shellac and alcohol ink with encaustic painting are incredible. I'm still digesting everything shellac that I learned from her late in February.
I have committed to doing a solo show for the month of September. I'm already painting for it and squirreling away a lot of surprises for it. But, I am letting a few things out.. just to create some interest.
Happy Friday Everyone!

Tis the Season, Merry and Bright and Compass

2015-12-03T18:30:00.000-08:00

Compass
encaustic on birch 8x10

December is here. The tree is up and decorated. The elves are busy in the workshop. Tis the season for Merry and Bright. I hope that your season goes joyfully and you have time to take in the beauty and wonder. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I'll be taking a break from the studio for the rest of December. I'll be spending my time with friends and family, taking in the holidays and getting ready to start the new year with a flourish. Thank you all for your very kind support here throughout 2015. It means the world to me and I am truly grateful.

Send some love out into the world today

2015-11-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

Sending love to Paris

Humankind has not woven the web of life

We are but one thread within it

Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves

All things are bound together

All things connect

- Chief Seattle 1854

A tragic event has rocked our world. It is time that we gather our thoughts and energies and collectively send love across the world. Take a moment today and send some love and healing and peace.

Sharing Time, Making Time and Where's Waldo?

2015-11-13T14:21:00.000-08:00

Waldo
encaustic mixed media on birch 6x6

Seems that Waldo here has a bit of a scowl. Although if you were up at the crack of dawn every day - you may wear a bit of a scowl too. Or perhaps there's another reason for his expression - perhaps the quickly coming holiday season...

I just spent two more days in the print studio in Portland learning monotype printing. I'll say that being a beginner has its good things and bad things - but I muddled through it and have a better understanding of how the "painterly" prints are made. I do love the wax or any paint really for that matter that if things start going sideways, I can just paint over it. Not so with prints and there is no going back once its run through the press. But, its amazingly fun and the mental gymnastics that my brain has to go through to change gears to think like a print artist is good for me. Its a nice vacation from wax and I truly believe that new ideas sprout back in the wax studio because of time spent as a beginner in the print studio.

But, back to work in the wax and more to come with the holidays coming ahead. But, I do catch myself daydreaming about the next prints I'm going to try and make once time allows.
Happy Friday everyone!

Momentum, Exploration and Crinoids

2015-11-05T19:06:00.000-08:00

Crinoid

detail of something bigger :)

I've recently discovered - there is a sea creature that has my full attention - the Sea Lily or Crinoid. Its a feather and its a flower and it lives under the sea. My love for the sea has never waned, but to think there is a bird like creature that lives with the fish. I mentioned in an earlier post that I was practicing and thinking about something with feathers that leads to something bigger. And of course if you follow this blog, you know that the sea has a special place in my heart. This painting isn't done, and its in is very early stages, but I feel this amazing lift and momentum that there is a bridge that I have just stumbled upon that brings together these two very different things - My things - and makes sense of them as one.

A gust of wind in the sails, momentum in a direction that is not for the faint of heart. Exploration is for the bold and the brave. Following a thread of an idea can lead to nothing or it can lead to something bigger. Momentum is the force that moves us forward into the unknown and on to the difference between the calm and being swept away in the current.

Thank you Linda Sivertsen (Book Mama) for putting these words in regard to momentum so eloquently -

"That’s momentum for you - you work and work to build it, and at some point it starts to build you. It starts to lift you to your next level, so you can create your next level work."

I hope you are living bold and brave and finding the wind in your sails and exploring things that seem different and grand. Happy Friday everyone!

Encaustic Painting, Rust Paper, Local Birds and Freya

2015-10-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

Freya
encaustic mixed media on birch 6x6

I finally used some of that rust paper that I have been accidently hording. I have a set of drawers that I keep fancy papers and stuff in. I was digging through for some inspiration and came across this paper. I had totally forgotten about it - its been over a year ago that I made it. Isn't it fun to come across a hidden treasure?

I've done another big push on the bird paintings. Christmas is coming fast and it seems that these little ones are flying off to new destinations as quickly as I can paint them. Its keeping my busy in the studio.

Freya here is a common yellow throat warbler. I've seen her at the Union Bay natural area near the University of Washington. Its my favorite place to find birdie subjects. Without really meaning to, I'm sort of becoming a bit of a bird watcher. I'm wanting to keep my bird paintings to the local characters. However, in my yard the selection is pretty slim with my dear cat, Ming to blame for his ever presence in the yard. Luckily he is a bit chubby, so actually catching a bird is not his forte. But, he does manage to keep them away by just being present. So, I rely on my friends with lovely bird feeders, and my afternoon walks to provide my inspiration.

Happy Friday and Happy Halloween!

Encaustic Painting, Memories and Wind Swept

2015-10-22T21:44:00.002-07:00

Wind Swept
encaustic mixed media 18x24

This encaustic painting has been sitting in my studio for almost a year. I started it, but never finished. I didn't want to paint over it for some reason, as this scene has great meaning to me. I finally finished it this past weekend and it finally came together with relative ease. I realized today, that it has taken me almost a year to get the skills I needed in order to finish it. I needed to be working with India ink, carving with an exacto knife, filling with oil paint and using caran d'ache neocolor in my work. These are not things that I was doing a year ago.

This scene is from our family beach house. It is where I spent summers and every weekend of my childhood years. The house was sold this time last year. An end of a chapter, but one that had to come. So, I wanted to have something that reminded me of those years and that place and those memories. That's why this painting came to be. I realized once it was finished that this is the first time in my life that I have not visited this place in the world in a year's time.
Below are details of the painting and I have come to realize that a series of these lovely trees may be in my future :)

Happy Friday everyone!

Encaustic Painting, Practicing for Something Bigger and Blue Flight

2015-10-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

Blue Flight
encaustic mixed media on birch 10x10

I'm practicing for something bigger. I wanted to see what it would be like to carve in feather detail in and encaustic painting. I keep thinking of a painting of a really large feathered something in the future. I've always hesitated to paint a big bird painting for a couple of reasons - the first is the wonder if a really large bird painting is a bit scary, meaning is it creepy to have a really big bird hanging on your wall? And secondly, painting small means I can cheat a bit on detail, but on a large painting I'd have to step up and really get the detail right - no fudging. So maybe the answer is like Blue Flight here, where there is no actual bird, but just a feathered something. Each of these feathers is carved in with an exacto knife which in itself is very meditative. And, I'm finding that I really love French Café Radio on Pandora. Its really nice background music and I learned of it from a good friend and her lovely French dinner that she made for a small group of friends. It played in the background as we dined on marvelous food and visited over candlelight. Now as it plays in the background in my studio, I can dream of going to Paris again whilst carving bird feathers. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

I'm also wondering about putting words into paintings. For me there is a fine line between looking good and being a bit kitschy. I like the idea, but pulling it off I think is difficult. Maybe its the choice of words?

Au revoir all, back to work - and happy Friday!

Encaustic Painting, Carving, Graphite and Last Dance

2015-10-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

Last Dance
encaustic, graphite and oil on birch 10x10

Fall is here and my walks are full of rich colors and layers. Encaustic painting really excels in allowing beautiful layering in paintings. I have been experimenting with using powdered graphite recently. It really does some amazing things on the wax. Although it is kind of messy and sticky to everything, the ability to shade and create interesting depth adds a new dimension to things. Plus, I really love the subtle grays it produces. I'm also finding the fine lines I can get using an exacto knife in the wax is adding another aspect to getting more detail with a medium that tends to be a little cranky when it comes to fine lines.
For those of you interested in the process - the background is laid in with graphite and the fine drawn graphite lines are actually done on tissue paper and added to the painting. The colors are wax and the white leaves are carved with the exacto knife and the line work highlighted with oil stick.
I hope those of you in the Northern hemisphere are getting out and enjoying Mother Nature's amazing display of fall and all its beautiful colors and layers.
Happy Friday everyone!

Encaustic Painting, Chickadees and CeCe

2015-10-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

CeCe
encaustic 6x6

I never get tired of painting chickadees. They are one of my favorites and the ones I see the most from my window. I truly wish that I had the same energy as one of these little ones. They are forever active and flitting from branch to branch. Think of all the things I could get done in a day. But, I do love to settle in the mid afternoon over a cup of coffee and a good book - taking a break from all the commotion even if just for a few minutes.

October is here, fall is starting to show her lovely colors - my favorites - the yellows, oranges and reds. I've begun to start thinking of making soup and wearing sweaters. Although, we are having a glorious Indian summer here in the northwest which means no sweaters yet.

Happy Friday everyone!

Encaustic Painting, Fish and Captain

2015-09-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

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

Mod, Encaustic Painting, Combining Flavors

2015-09-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

Dogwood
encaustic mixed media on birch 16 x 19

Modular painting seems to be catching my fancy these days. I love combining the flavors of encaustic painting, ink drawing, printing, and both abstract and representational art. The mixed bunch tells a nice story. These individual paintings are glued together to create one large story panel. While I like the random size, I'm also working on some that fit together into a regular rectangle. I am finding the mix and match aspect of working a modular painting is really fun and giving a fresh feeling to the paintings. Problem is, now I have lots and lots of mix and match pieces on my work table - now the trick is finding the combinations that work together.
Happy Friday everyone!

Treasure Hunting, Black and White and Feathers

2015-07-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

plume
encaustic and oil on birch 6x6

I've been collecting feathers. Seems I find all kinds, shapes and sizes. There is an eagle nest that I pass regularly and every now and again I'm lucky to find one that has fallen from there. I have an osprey feather, crow feathers, little downy ones, stripy ones and even a little sweet gray and yellow one. Its become my own personal treasure hunt when I'm out walking. In the beginning I brought all the ones home that caught my eye - now I'm a bit more selective as my collection has grown. The fine detail of all the little filaments and the lightness of their architecture is remarkable to think they are responsible for flight.

I've also been thinking in black and white. The simplicity of removing color and creating form and detail in the space of two colors is a good lesson for me. I'm not giving up color by any means, but I do think that removing it teaches a valuable lesson. For those of you interested in processes - the feather is carved into the wax surface with an exacto knife creating the fine line detail. The lines are then filled with oil paint which is then rubbed off the surface and left in the lines. Wax is difficult to get any fine detail and this in one of the best ways to achieve that.

Happy Friday everyone! I hope your time in nature is also a wonderful inspirational adventure and treasure hunt that brings you much reward.

Poetry, Summer Song and Little Birds

2015-07-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

Marsh Wren
encaustic, oil and graphite on birch 6x6

A friend sent me this lovely poem - with a note that said "I feel like Nancy wrote this poem for every artist I know". I totally agree -

Summer Song

Tonight I break the map that says don’t sell yourself

I brag and leave the humble out of it

I kick the Minnesota-raised girl to the curb

and yell, “I am fucking awesome!”

Sing it girl, don’t be shy.

What’s the use of pretending I’m dull?

I’ve got a loud voice, I’ll use it.

I’ll not waste another minute.

Translate fear into possibility

take the gnaw in my stomach

belch it out

until my core glows orange, no pain left.

What’s doubt and dread

except stagnation to grow

up and out of? I’ll turn tiny-ness

on its head and live large, for sure

I wear my brave face

I dance in the street

with pure abandon

sing with all of my notes out of tune.

I do karaoke with no machine

until my family laughs

the neighbors come onto their doorsteps

they cheer me on.

Summer is short, its nights long

and full of sweetness; I practice daring

on the cooled concrete

while the red sun sets

an orange globe of power

that I swallow whole

voice loud with song

my body a ray of light.

7.10.2015

Best,

Nancy Schatz Alton

Freelance Writer, Editor & Writing Coach

Co-author of The Healthy Back Book & The Healthy Knees Book

www.withinthewords.com

Encaustic Painting Process, Draw-Through Printing and Tissue Paper

2015-07-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

Kiss (detail)
encaustic, paper and ink on birch

Trying old techniques in a new way again - this time a printing technique called draw-through printing. Keeping things fresh and loose in art can sometimes be a challenge for me. This little chickadee is a detail from a larger modular painting. I've been revisiting some techniques I learned a while back and finding it really fun. Thanks to the wonderful Stephanie Hargrave for being the inspiration.

The drawings are done on tissue paper and then put into the encaustic painting. Its a fun process and because of its nature, it keeps the drawings loose and fresh. The first step is to get together all the things needed

printing ink - I used Akua, but there are other printing inks that work great like Daniel Smith printing inks.
Glass palette
brayer
bamboo skewer
tissue paper

Step One - roll out the ink with the brayer - can't stress enough that it needs to be a thin layer. Think thin to win!

Step Two - gently place the tissue paper on top of the rolled out ink and weight the edges so it will not move when you do your drawings.

Step Three - Use the bamboo skewer, or end of a paint brush handle or even your finger nail - and draw. Being careful not to touch the paper to hold it otherwise you will have finger prints which is ok, but just be mindful where they are. You will see your line showing through the tissue as you draw your shapes.

Step Four - carefully peel up the tissue from the printing plate and turn it over. You will see your designs printed on the tissue.

You can see in this photo the "noise" created in the print where the tissue stuck to the ink other than where the lines were drawn. I don't mind a little bit of noise in the print. A lot of noise creates a whole another look to the print.

Step Five - once the prints are dry - burnish the tissue into an encaustic painting and gently heat. The white tissue will magically disappear into the wax and will leave only the printed lines showing. Cover with a protective layer of wax and the tissue will totally blend into the artwork

Noisy print on the left and only just a little noise on the right

As a side note, I did find that the tissue I was using had a shiny or hard side and a matte or soft side. I found the hard side would stick to the ink in places that I really didn't want it to, thus, creating "noise" in the print like on the left above. The soft side of the tissue would allow for the fine lines to show through without too much stickage (noise). I would re-brayer the inked area after every print, not necessarily adding more ink until I really needed it. Its fun to do several when you have everything out - lots of different shapes and designs. That way when you are ready to put the drawings into your artwork, there are lots of choices to layer and have fun with. I'm also assuming it would work with a gel medium on an art journal page or other artwork than encaustic.
Good luck and have fun. Happy Friday everyone!

The Buzz, Honey Bees, Encaustic Painting

2015-06-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

detail
Buzz
Encaustic on panel 6x24

I have a bush in my yard that the bees adore. Its full of little tiny flowers that dance above the lush green leaves in a cloud of white. The perfume of these flowers is what draws them in. When I stand and listen, my ears fill with a buzz and a hum from all the tiny wings beating in a faint rhythm. The busy bees are gathering pollen to return to their hive. They are covered in a sweet yellow haze as they fly away. The bush is beginning to fade now, but the bees will continue until their job is done and they move on to another yard. They are mostly honey bees, but there are a few bumble bees too which are my favorites for painting. Happy Friday everyone!

Buzz
encaustic 6x24

Inspiration Today, Studio Happenings and Work in Progress: 159

2015-05-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

Beauty in the simple and beauty in random pattern
love this mosaic

Here's what I am finding inspiring today -

These paintings by Fay Jones
Gwen Davidson
The level of creativity of the art by Ruby Silvious.
The amazing use of bioengineering by this company and how they are helping to save Rhinos
My new Pandora radio station - based on the music of Twin Forks

What are you finding inspiring today?

Unexpected Visitor, Chirping and Sparrow

2015-05-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

Sparrow
encaustic on birch 6x6

Today I had the most amazing visitor - a little sparrow was hopping around in my living room. I was in the kitchen and heard a chirping sound. I came around the corner to find a sweet little sparrow hopping about. She was chirping away and happy as could be and didn't seem to have a care in the world. I opened the patio door to help her to find her way back outside. She was in no hurry to leave and hopped under chairs and around and under the tables. She never took flight, just hopped and sang. I followed around and gently talked to her encouraging her to see the open door and her freedom. She eventually made her way to the door and flew back to her life outside. So sweet.
Happy Friday everyone!

Inspiration Today, Studio Happenings and Work in Progress: 158

2015-05-05T06:30:00.000-07:00

Revisiting the Art's Way, spending time on walks
and looking to nature to find inspiration

Here's what I am finding inspiring today -

This Quote - “If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.” Edward Hopper
Ways to get unstuck in creativity from a newsletter from my wonderful and creative friend Kat Sloma over at Kateyestudio.com
Here are four ways to jump start your creativity, suggested by my readers:
1. Change mediums. There is nothing like dabbling with a different set of tools to open up a creative channel, is there?
2. Go for a walk. Getting outside and moving helps you see things in a whole new way. Good for your body, mind and creative soul!
3. Do something completely different. Go off and cook, work on a house project, and let your mind wander. The ideas inevitably come when we aren't wanting them.
4. Journal. Morning pages are part of The Artist's Way for a reason, helping us to get all of those limiting thoughts out of our head and onto the page.
But most of all, they suggested, take the pressure off and let things be. Creative dips often come before a big step forward or a new project coming your way. Be patient, they told me.
The brilliant and inspiring words of Julia Cameron every day with this book
How my friend Minnemie sees art in the broken
Raise Your Hand and Say Yes

Finding Water, Quenching Thirst and the Creative Soul

2015-04-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

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!!

Inspiration Today, Studio Happenings and Work in Progress: 157

2015-04-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

Working on doodles for my class with Diane Culhane
its pretty addictive to draw on these little watercolor pages

Here's some things that I am finding inspiring today.

little blue hearts - On my morning walk, I came across a box of chalk that some kids had left at the top of a very long outdoor staircase and trail. They had done some street art but left their chalk. I got the happy idea to take a piece of chalk and "share some love". Little blue hearts now dot the stairs and trail to add a "little love" to the day of someone passing.
Cutter's Point coffee for charities.
For all who love color
These lovely linocuts
Poetic paintings

Inspiration Today, Studio Happenings and Work in Progress 156

2015-04-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

little acrylic starts and experiments
all are 4" by 3,4 or 6 - they will all become backgrounds and underpaitings for something yet to come

Here's what I am finding inspiring this week:

This cat painting by Carla Sonheim
A walk through Anthropologie always helps my creativity. This time they were setting up for Earth Day.

3. Orange Roses

4. Found hearts in my day. You know the ones that appear in the shadows, the leaves, the clouds... I love finding these little "love" notes. They make me smile.
5. Getting together with other artist friends to talk about what we love - art.

Morning Walks, Blue and the Scrub Jay

2015-04-16T18:32:00.000-07:00

Scrub Jay
encaustic on birch 6x6

The other day I saw a flash of blue while out on my morning walk along the Willamette River in Portland. This beautiful blue bird darted in and out of my sight for several minutes. I had to stop and watch for a while. The color was so eye catching, much brighter than the Stellar's Jays I see in Seattle. I'm sure being a jay and all, he is just as naughty as the Stellar's Jay. But even so, I thought he was gorgeous.
I walk every morning. It helps me clear my head and get my day sorted before I jump in and get started. I find that inspiration will present itself on these walks. I get some of my brightest ideas while walking. I've also been adding an evening wind down walk as well. Seems the new dog is doing me well :)encaustic
Happy Friday, All!

Inspiration Today, Studio Happenings and Work in Progress: 155

2015-04-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

heart
encaustic 3x4

Here's what I am finding inspiring today:

The art of Katherine Dunn of Apifera Farm. I'm in love with her style and that she not only paints but also blogs about her life with the animals on her farm.
Blue bells.
The upcoming on line Doodle class taught by local Seattle artist, Diane Culhane. I'm all signed up and am really looking forward to it. I hope you will consider joining me - here's the info to sign up and here's the inspiration: https://vimeo.com/122874903
Rain in the forecast. I actually do love the rain and that it brings with it cozy indoor studio time.
Setting intentions for the day - it works :)

What are you finding inspiring today?

Spring, Bird Song, and Junco

2015-04-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

Junco
original encaustic on birch 6x8

Spring is my most favorite time of the year. Its a time of awakening and growth and it is in crazy full force around here. With spring comes open doors and open windows. I've been awakened every morning lately by the neighborhood bird song. Its the nicest way to be brought from slumber into the day. Not better than a steaming cup of coffee mind you - but better than an alarm clock for sure. The little Juncos are some of my favorite spring time characters.
Also with spring comes the annual de-clutter, clean up and filling the yard waste bin to overflowing a few times over. It feels so good to be outside and taking in the fresh smells and sounds. To kick of spring, I've been doing a weekly inspiration series on Tuesdays - you can catch up on the latest one here.
In keeping with the idea of new growth in spring, I have signed up to take an online art class taught by Diane Culhane - "Doings of a Do-o-dle". No one doodles like Diane, so I am really looking forward to it. You can get more info and sign up here.
Happy Friday - Happy Spring.