My newest show, as a member of the Riverfront Art Gallery, focuses on texture. I hope you’ll take the time to come on down to the gallery. I work there periodically and hear all of the admiring comments about the quality and range of artwork that you’ll find there.
I’ve used gesso, spackle, acrylic inks, and pastels for this first painting above, titled “Into the Mists…Taking Off”. The image was inspired by the scene below me as we took off from the Oakland Airport. As always, the image evolved as I worked with the various media.
On the left is “Backroads #2”, a watercolor done many years ago, plen aire. Backroads #1 was a side-by-side image, that I no longer own. On the right is “Flowers n’ his Momma”. This collage image started out as chinese ink painted rabbits (hence the calligraphy that I’ve long forgotten the meaning of…anyone?), which I photo transferred onto the surface. Then I added inks, handmade paper, spackle (for blending and texture), and finally coated the entire image with encaustic medium. The wax of the encaustic medium blends the various elements and adds depth to the entire piece.
“Mountain Glow” is another encaustic painting. The basic image evolved as I melted encaustic blocks of color onto the canvas. I melted pigments and finally painted trees and rocks with oil paints, finishing up with heat generated textures. You’ll find this painting with other names…one of the most challenging things for me is to come up with a name that makes sense, and so the names change to protect the innocent!
Yet another collaged image ultimately coated with encaustic medium. I love the textures and depth that the wax creates. I never get tired of the pleasant surprises. This one is called “Secrets – Five Birds”…can you find all of the birds?
Finally another bird collage image, this time incorporating bark, dry leaves and grass, then coated with encaustic medium. This one is called “Spring Perch”.
I’ve been asked by visitors to the gallery about the “lasting power”of wax as a medium. Many people don’t know that encaustics and wax paints were one of the first mediums used by artists, who longed to recreate images of the world around them. Many of the images painted by unknown Egyptians as long as as 100-300 AD are still vibrant and beautiful. That seems pretty lasting to me!
Marilee Ford 