Surrendering Control

Task List

The end result of my latest paintings were not my vision.  I'm not an abstract painter but this media transformed my approach to painting.  I recently took a class in encaustic (wax) painting.  I tried many different techniques with the wax including collage, layering and scraping to lower colors, etching and filling grooves with paint.


But before I could experiment, I had to be willing to give up any designs I conjured up before starting the painting.  The wax hardens so quickly and the techniques to smooth and soften (iron and heat gun) do not give predictable effects.  As a result, I had to adjust my plans as I progressed.  Each of these paintings has some small part of my original vision, but most evolved over time. If you are looking for a way to learn to let go, encaustics just may be the thing for you.

Are We There Yet?

"Task List":  Many layers of wax manipulated with a heat gun.  Text (my Outlook Calendar dump to a text file) was printed on laser paper and rubbed onto the wax.  Paper then wet and rubbed off.  The hand was etched and filled in with black paint and then painted with oil paint.


"Are We There Yet?" is primarily collage (paper, metal findings) with some etching and rubbing as described above.  Many failed attempts before I finished with this one.

Going Home

"Going Home":  Many layers of colored wax.  Scrapped away to lower colors.  The poem is scrapped in and filled in with various colors of paint.  The water is also embedded with little tiny silver beads.