Experiment in Cold Wax

Studio Experiments ©Mary Montague Sikes

“Give an artist the tools and she will thrive.”

That is so true, especially if those tools are used for building texture and developing new enthusiasm for creativity. 

A few years ago, I took a day-long encaustic painting workshop with accomplished artist, Karen Eide. I loved working with the hot wax, enjoyed the movement and subtle effects of the colors and much more. However, when the door was propped open to avoid danger from hot wax fumes, I got a little concerned. I realized that to work in encaustics, I would need to set up a studio outdoors where toxic fumes would not pose an immediate health hazard.

Although I now have a drawer full of encaustic painting supplies, I have never used the bee’s wax and oil colors in an outdoor studio annex situation. I also purchased a really nice hot plate and a heat gun. Neither one has ever been used. The encaustics still continue to intrigue me, so whenever possible, I take Karen’s encaustic workshops, sponsored by West Point Arts Alive. Once, I even followed her to Virginia Beach for the opportunity to work in hot wax in a museum workshop that she taught there.

You can imagine my excitement when I discovered Lisa Boardwine and her vivacious cold wax workshops. I had been reading about cold wax and watching videos about the process. In Lisa’s classes, I found ways to use a less toxic cold wax process and still produce results that relate to the hot wax that so intrigues me. Lisa shared a wide array of different tools that are so much fun to try. I even realized new ways to use the sculpture and ceramics equipment already in my studio.

For many years, I have also experimented with texture in acrylic painting. Several years ago, I enjoyed a week-long workshop in Sedona, Arizona, taught by Jan Sitts. Jan demonstrated a wide variety of techniques using acrylic liquid paints on surfaces built with thick gesso and a variety of painting mediums. I loved the opportunity to try out different methods for creating new work.

Recently, I ordered a book, Acrylic Painting for Encaustic Effects by Sandra Duran Wilson. I could spend months trying the many ideas described in this beautiful book of wax free methods.

For those who love to create in exciting new ways with paint, tools, panels, and canvas, cold wax might be the perfect medium for you. Come and learn more as we experiment together in a three-day afternoon workshop at Gloucester Arts on Main in Gloucester, Virginia. The dates are: August 28, 29, and 30.

                                                                                    Mary Montague Sikes

                                                                                    monti7olen@verizon.net

Yesterday is a Step to Tomorrow - A to Z Blogging Challenge

"Vision of Yesterday" ©Mary Montague Sikes

"Yesterday is a Step to Tomorrow" are my words for today in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. What a profound statement. Everything we do is somehow built upon our past, like it or not. Memories of the yesterdays in our lives remind us, teach us, guide us--the list goes on.

Today's painting, "Vision of Yesterday", is a little blurred, like our memories often are. This loosely-done encaustic painting on board is a waterlily floating on the surface of a pond, quietly living on the gentle water. It reminds me of a large acrylic painting on canvas I created years ago that I sold to a collector on the West Coast. I wonder where that piece of art now resides. That art from long ago yesterdays was a step that inspired this newer painting.

What do you see in this creation? What does it mean to you?

Unfettered, We Follow Our Star - A to Z Blogging Challenge

"Following the Star" ©Mary Montague Sikes

"Unfettered, We Follow Our Star" is my phrase for today in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. These words have great meaning for me, for over the years I have, mostly unfettered, followed my vision and my star. How fortunate I have been.

"Following the Star" is today's painting. It's another encaustic (oil) on board, and it represents the phrase well. In this art work, a crowd is moving in the direction of the star which is bright yellow. The crowd is raised in the image, and there are other elements for the imagination.

Are you following your star? How?

Thousand Lights Lead Our Fortunes - A to Z Blogging Challenge

"Lights on Dark Waters" ©Mary Montague Sikes

"Thousand Lights Lead Our Fortunes" is the phrase I received for today's A to Z Blogging Challenge. Wow. I am really having trouble realizing the meaning of this. Perhaps today's painting will help.

This art work is encaustic on board, and I love the "feel" of the image. Have you ever stood on a dock at night and watched lights shimmer on the water? Sometimes the reflections are many more than the lights creating them. Perhaps the lights on the water create a time of magic for you. Perhaps they cause you to reflect on the past and into the future. Perhaps a revelation is born in your mind. A thousand lights. A thousand new ideas. The plot of a novel. A new innovative thought for a painting.

"Lights on Dark Waters" is a special image for me. What do you think?

Opulent Fortunes Follow Us - A to Z Blogging Challenge

"Starry Nebula" ©Mary Montague Sikes

"Opulent Fortunes Follow Us". What in the world could that mean? Those are the words I got for the A to Z Blogging Challenge for today.

My painting is titled "Starry Nebula". This is encaustic (oil and hot wax). I love the feeling of the lines of color going to the very  striking red force. So many elements follow us to that central image. "Opulent Fortunes Follow Us". Of course, they do and we see them here. I love the image and the colors.

What do you see here? What do you think about this image and the phrase for today?

Encaustics Versus Cold Wax

"Turbulent Universe" Encaustic Painting ©Mary Montague Sikes

When Karen Eide introduced me to encaustics a few years ago, I was immediately hooked. I enjoyed manipulating the hot wax and pigment with a heat gun. I loved the way everything moved around on the surface, creating mysterious images that resembled other world and new universes.

Karen explained the dangers of allowing the wax to get too hot and creating toxic smoke that when breathed in could cause permanent lung damage. Because of those warnings, I hesitated bringing encaustic materials into my home studio. Instead, I took more of Karen's classes, including one she teaches in Virginia Beach that enabled me to work on larger pieces. Eventually, I bought a large flat grill, a heat gun, wax medium, and encaustic paints, expecting to battle the insects and work outdoors. I still haven't used them.

Karen Eide demonstrating encaustics techniques. ©Mary Montague Sikes

Now, I am wondering about painting with cold wax. I have tubes of oil paint from years ago that I might revive to mix with the cold wax medium. I've watched several YouTube videos about cold wax painting and am ready to try it. Some of the cold wax paintings I've seen closely resemble those created with the hot wax process I find so appealing.

I'm also working on three paintings now in which I plan to combine the Robert Doak watercolors with encaustics. I started the paintings with a 10" square center, using encaustic paints. One painting is on a wooden cradled panel. I have it ready to apply the Doak watercolors in my studio later this week.

I'm excited about the possibilities of using new methods in my paintings. Encaustics versus cold wax, does anyone have experiences to compare?

Starts with Encaustics ©Mary Montague Sikes

Painting Show for Farrah Brings Life to a Book Signing

Evening of the Dragonfly Book Signing and Art Show

Having a book signing to go with my painting show for Farrah Ferand, the artist heroine of Evening of the Dragonfly, creates lots of possibilities for talking with readers. Book signings are all too often awkward affairs. The art show is fun and came about as an idea for the A to Z Blog Challenge. The paintings helped me, as the author, get to know Farrah much better than I did while writing her story.

The art show for my character makes me wonder about other unique ways to promote books. What is the profession of the hero or heroine? Or what hobby is important to a character to the book?

Thinking outside the box can produce a flurry of ideas for authors who struggle with book signings. Being your character and dressing the part is still one of the most fun things I've seen authors do.

"Looking at Farrah's Art Show" ©Mary Montague Sikes

Thanks to Arts Alive in West Point for the opportunity for Farrah's Art Show which will hang in the Art Center until October 13.




Fractal Art

For the past few weeks, my life has been consumed with art. At the Crossroads Art Center Open House last week, I was delighted to discover an artist showing across from me who is using fractal art in his creations. I have long loved fractals and used many of those images to inspire my elementary school art students. Mike Turner is putting his fractal images on metal which gives them a beautiful shiny look and depth. He also has printed some of his work on fabric, and his sister has created an array of beautiful neckties from the material. What a great idea!

"Lines in the Desert" Encaustic ©Mary Montague Sikes

"Lines in the Desert", my small encaustic painting, was inspired by a petite section of a fractal image. Other pieces of my art work are related to some of the fractals I've seen. 

I'm delighted to have discovered Mike Turner's work. 

Falling in Love with Encaustic Painting--Where Will It Lead?

I must confess. I have a love affair with encaustic painting and have no idea where this may lead.

When artist Karen Eide first came to West Point to present an encaustics workshop for Arts Alive, I took the day-long class out of curiosity. But then something happened. I made lots of little 5" x 7" paintings. The way the paint and wax moved around beneath the heat gun absolutely intrigued me. I know of no other way to create the sparkling luminous effects with the acrylic paint I normally use. Sadly, acrylic paints are not compatible with the beautiful encaustics and bee's wax. However, with experimentation, I might figure out a way to combine the two if I don't try to overlap them.

Molten wax heating on hot plate

Representing the Virginia Museum, Karen has come back to West Point several times since my first dramatic encounter with encaustic paints. I've enrolled in her class each time and have created more small paintings that I love. She's been a wonderful teacher who demonstrates technique and materials and then allows her students to explore on their own.

In September, when she returned to present yet another workshop, I decided I wanted to work in a larger format. Karen paled when she saw the two 24" x 18" encauticbords I had ordered. Because the paints are so expensive, I couldn't work on anything that large, she told me. I was surprised and disappointed. Of course, if I had done the math, I would have realized that one 24 x 18 panel has 432 square inches of space to cover. A dozen of the 5 x7 mat board pieces would still have fewer square inches of space. Obviously, math is not my strong subject!

That day, Karen did have a 12" x 12" cradled board that I bought and used to make a painting. Moving the paint around with a heat gun on that sturdy surface was even more appealing.

Now, I really longed to paint with encaustics on the larger cradled boards I had purchased. When I learned Karen was presenting an advanced workshop in Virginia Beach in November, I was determined to attend. So matter that I was just returning from the Jan Sitts workshop in Sedona, I would somehow work in the time.

Karen shows class a custom-made board/canvas for encaustics

I'm glad that I did. The event took place at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art which I had no idea even existed before I signed up for this workshop. I was delighted to explore this lovely new facility.  Everyone in the class was experienced in encaustic painting and, except for me, worked with it on their own. That Saturday, I painted the two larger boards I'd bought and fell in love with encaustics all over again.

"Reflections in a Bright Galaxy" - encaustic painting -copyright Mary Montague Sikes

Although I have a home studio and a drawing room annex equipped for my pastels, watercolors, acrylics, and experimental mixed media art, I don't want to bring an encaustic painting setup in there. Instead, I'm thinking of working in our garage where there will be plenty of ventilation for the more toxic painting situation the heated bee's wax will bring. I also might consider working in my studio/gallery space at Petersburg Regional Arts Center.

Painting with a heat gun is a mesmerizing experience. Where will this lead with my art? That's an intriguing question.

Thank you, Karen Eide, for showing me the way to this beautiful art medium. Thank you, Arts Alive in West Point, for offering so many outstanding opportunities in creativity.

--Mary Montague Sikes

Encaustic Artist Workshop - Loving Art

Because I love art, artist workshops intrigue me--especially those close to home. Arts Alive!, our local support group for the arts, has a marvelous schedule of artist workshops. One of my favorites is the Encaustic Painting Workshop, sponsored by the Virginia Museum and taught by Karen Eide.

Karen drives her giant van into town and sets up an array of heating ensembles, trays of molten wax (both bees and paraffin), lumps of wax colored pigments, piles of paint brushes, heat guns, mat board pieces, books, and much more. She demonstrates some of the techniques for painting with this beautiful hot colored wax, then for five hours her students get to experiment with the process.

Molten wax heats on hot plate

Projects in progress

Heat gun fuses wax

Some students may choose to use a collage technique incorporating photographs, drawings, beads, sequins, and many found items. Others just enjoy discovering what happens as colors mix in transparent overlays. Whatever techniques are chosen, the entire process is a lot of fun!