Wax Fusion - Fall, Issue V: 2021

Wax Fusion Flo Bartell S. Kay Burnett Wayne Montecalvo Ezshwan Winding Kathryn Bevier Dietlind Vander Schaaf Shelley Jean

A digital publication of International-Encaustic-Artists.org Fall, Issue V:2021 Convergence

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Board of Directors S. Kay Burnet President

Lyn Belisl Vice President

Bonnie Raphae

Mary Jo Reutte

Secretary

Treasurer

Rhonda Raulsto Tech Director

Michelle Robinso

Melissa Lackma

Exhibitions Director

Grants Director

Regina B Quin Social Media Director

Paul Klin Member-at-large

Front cover, Hidden Messages by Ezshwan Winding Encaustic, oil, ink, cold wax, stenciling, transfers, 15 x 12 in

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From the Editors In these changing times we are all redefining what it means to converge or come together again on many different levels.

Flo Bartell uses sculptural elements to create dimensional encaustic paintings. S. Kay Burnett combines her love for encaustic painting, sculpture, and story telling to create whimsical characters Wayne Montecalvo likes to start with something expected and manipulate the materials to create unexpected results that distort and redefine. Ezshwan Winding sees her art as a convergence of two different genres, subject matters, and styles Kathryn Bevier works with instructors to develop their own Enkaustikos color lines and enjoys helping students understand the colors they are working with so that they can make the most of their palette. Dietlind Vander Schaaf loves working with R&F to create educational content for their blog and put paint into the hands of instructors and their students. And Shelley Jean started a local IEA chapter, Florida Wax, to build a sense of community with members from all walks of life and all different ages and stages in their careers We hope you enjoy reading this issue of Wax Fusion. And we would love to get your feedback. Please contact us at WaxFusion@International-EncausticArtists.org with comments, questions, ideas, and suggestions.

IEA members are welcome to submit workshop, media, and exhibition information for our next issue of Wax Fusion. For submission guidelines, visit www.international-encaustic-artists.org/Artist-Resources While this journal exists to serve the needs of IEA members, it is also free and available to the public. You are welcome to share this journal with anyone interested or working in the visual arts, looking for information on encaustics, or beginning to explore the world of encaustics Lyn Belisle S. Kay Burnett Paul Kline

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Instructional Creating Dimensional Encaustic Paintings 6 Flo Bartell

Creating Whimsical Characters

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S. Kay Burnett

Inspirational Unexpected Combinations

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Wayne Montecalvo

Convergence

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Ezshwan Winding

Developing Colors

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Kathryn Bevier

A Focus on Education

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Dietlind Vander Schaaf

Building a Sense of Community

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Shelley Jean

Exhibitions, Events and Awards Metamorphosis

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Tubac Center of the Arts

ConVergence - Wax on the Water The La Vendéenne Awards IEA on Social Media

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Back Cover, Hand-poured encaustic paint, Enkaustikos Left, Lucht II, by Dietlind Vander Schaaf Encaustic, graphite, oil, 23 karat gold leaf on panel 36 x 36 in

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Content

Creating Dimensional Encaustic Paintings Flo Bartell For my rst ve years working in encaustic, I took pleasure in making the surface of my paintings smooth and bubble free. I loved the process and the seductive feel of my nished pieces.

Eventually though, I needed texture and sculptural elements to tell my story. I had begun a series of paintings showing evidence of time passing and the complexity of accumulated years: walls peeling, layers revealed, rough textures. I experimented by embedding canvas and papers in wax. That worked fairly well in small paintings, but I couldn’t achieve the dimension and sculptural e ects I needed to make larger statements in my work Just at the right time, I discovered that Michelle Belto would be teaching a workshop in encaustic sculpture following the 2013 International Encaustic Artists retreat in Santa Fe, NM. I suspected that if I learned how to build sculpture, I could adapt the process to create dimensional elements in my paintings.

Learning to use wire mesh with plaster gauze and encaustic was key. I excitedly returned to my studio to experiment with a hybrid sculpture/painting style. Since 2013, I have used that process in my art In my first painting after Michelle’s workshop, I formed a dimensional element with wire mesh, stapled that to a wood panel, and covered the mesh with plaster gauze.

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Ravaged, Triptych, Encaustic, mixed media on wood panels, 22 x 30 x 3 in

I then painted the panel, including the dimensional area. I was pleased to be able to get the effect I wanted After my first few dimensional paintings, I began to include fiber, paper, wire, and many found objects. After working to further develop my process, I was able to use what I learned to complete my collection, Bloodlines Many paintings and sculptures later, I have found that for small dimensional elements I can shape and attach wire mesh and apply paper towel pieces or other pliable paper directly to the mesh with encaustic medium. My result is a less sturdy but adequately sound area of dimension. My options now seem endless.

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To use this process in your own work you will need • Basic encaustic supplies (medium, paint, heat equipment, brushes, and your favorite tools • 1/8" Amaco Wireform Modelling Mesh (Be sure to purchase diamond shaped mesh.

• Rigid Wrap or similar plaster gauz • Heavy duty staple • Garden/work glove • Wood panel (with no wax • Viva® paper towel • Low container of wate • Burlap fabri • Heavy, textured mulberry paper (from EncaustiCanvas Etsy store • Sturdy scissor • Needle-nose plier • Clothespins or clips

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You may also want to have these optional supplies • Wir • Wire snipper • R&F Pigment stick • Pan Pastel • Inks or stain • 3/8” foam board to t panel bac • Drill with small and medium bit • Clothesline or twin • Fishing lin • Small pottery or dental tool

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For my sample painting, I will demonstrate how I use mesh and plaster gauze with wax

My Process 1. I begin by developing a concept. I decide what I want my dimensional element and the painting to say. Will it reference an old, peeling wall? A wave? The remnant of an ancient tapestry 2. When I know what I want to show, I cut a piece of wire mesh with scissors. The shape doesn’t need to be precise at this point 3. Wearing my garden gloves, I pull the mesh into the shape I want. I can fold back corners and pull the pliable mesh to create an e ect 4. As I work, I staple the mesh to my wood panel. I can later trim the mesh or add more mesh if I wish. I might want to make the shape longer or wider or create multiple layers

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5. When I am satis ed with the shape, I turn the panel to the back.

With pliers I curl all staple tips toward the back of the panel This will prevent later injury 6. Next, I cut plaster gauze into pieces, usually no larger than 4 x 4 in 7. I then begin applying plaster gauze to the wire mesh. I dip a piece of gauze into water for a few seconds, let excess water drip into the bowl, and then cover a small area of wire mesh. I am careful not to soak the gauze or leave wet pieces to harden on my table

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If gravity is working against me, I use clothespins to secure the gauze. I like to be sure that any visible area of the dimensional element is covered. Will a viewer be able to see uncovered mesh if one peeks?

9. I let the piece dry completely, usually overnight 10. Next, I inspect to be sure that no mesh is uncovered. If I nd areas in which the gauze is not secure or the mesh is not covered, I apply pieces of paper towel over those areas and brush generously with encaustic medium. I fuse lightly with a heat gun.…no torch with ammable materials until several coats of wax have been applied.

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8. I continue applying the gauze, overlapping previously applied gauze and smoothing as I go, until the mesh is completely covered. I extend the gauze onto the wood so that I have a smooth transition. I check all the small wrinkles and creases to be sure they are covered.

Small pottery tools help with this step.

12. I then paint on and fuse two layers of encaustic medium, covering my wood panel and dimensional area 13. I continue to develop my concept by adding mulberry paper, other papers, and burlap to create texture. I situate the paper or ber, brush on medium, and fuse lightly 14. Then I paint with pigmented wax, adding color and more texture. I continue to layer more paper or ber with wax as needed. I fuse after every addition 15. I often add wire, collage elements, rope, text, and found objects. My drill comes in handy to drill holes in the mesh/plaster elements. .

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11. At this point I check my construction for stability. If I am worried that my dimensional element is not securely attached, I use more staples or drill holes for shing line or wire that I can use to ensure that my construction is sound

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16. I can make impressions in the wax, apply a sheer layer of pigment stick, use stencils, and enhance with pan pastels. I often use metallic pigment sticks, inks, and pan pastels to develop my composition and help create a glow 17. For a professional appearance, I add a backing of foam board to cover staples In my sample piece, All That's Left, I decided to suggest the remnants of an old, patched curtain as a metaphor for aging I used, in addition to basic supplies, R&F Neutral White and Ivory Black encaustic paint, mulberry paper to begin an accretion process, burlap bers, walnut stain, several neutral and metallic colors of Pan Pastels, Iridescent Gold and Copper R&F Pigment Sticks®, and 20 gauge braided copper wire. My challenge in creating this piece was to make a strong statement in a relatively small dimensional painting Though I usually apply this process to abstract, conceptual paintings, you can certainly use these techniques to create representational elements in your work. You can form rocks, waves, hills, or owers. You may nd that you can combine this process with other techniques and add other sculptural elements created with paper or fabric and encaustic medium.

You may want to use wire, branches, hardware, sand, and other found materials to create texture and tell your story If you have questions or are willing to share images of your dimensional paintings, please contact me through my website, flobartell.com All That’s Left Encaustic, mixed media on wood 24 x 18 x 2 in

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Portal 2 Encaustic, mixed media on wood 48 x 36 x 2 in

About the Autho I grew up in a home of musicians and artisans in a small South Carolina town, where I studied dance, music, and art. I loved to draw and paint, sew, and make things.

While my passion for art continued, I pursued a career in education and mental health. After many years working in those disciplines, I opened a needlework business, taught needle arts, and designed children's clothing, quilts, embroidery, and needlepoint.

I also began to study art again and continued after my move to California in 2003. Soon I discovered encaustic and since then have found ways to combine my drive to "make" with my desire to paint. I now divide my time between my family, music, making art, and teaching encaustic painting and sculpture.

My art has appeared in numerous group and solo exhibits, on magazine covers, and some have been adapted for needlepoint. I am a member of San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, Morro Bay Art Association, The Painters Group, Central Coast Sculptors Group, and International Encaustic Artists. I am represented by Art Central Art Gallery in San Luis Obispo, California You can view Flo’s work a www.flobartell.com

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Creating Whimsical Characters S. Kay Burnett

Gargoyle Drum Circle S. Kay and Gerry Burnett Encaustic on paperclay, wood, wire, paper, gesso 10.5 x 18 x 18 in

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Everyone loves a good story. This story begins with a studio visit. When the curator saw some sets I’d built for a digital project, she encouraged me to consider including a few sculptures in my upcoming solo exhibition.

I had a couple of gargoyle paintings in the exhibition and decided to create a few gargoyle sculptures.

I asked my collaborator in art and life, Gerry, to work with me. He is my carpenter, photographer, videographer, and provocateur Early in the discovery stage, I met a very special gargoyle only 2 inches tall.

Something about his mischievousness nature spoke to me, and the gargoyles took over. A couple of sculptures turned into a children’s picture book illustrated with multiple encaustic sculptures. A Gargoyle in Paris is the story of Dev, short for Tiny Little Devil. Gerry says he’s the Barbie of Gargoyles. Dev has everything I usually start my sculptures with a concept (a gargoyle chess set) or a story (Dev wants to sail a toy boat). Once I know the story or the character, I start doing rough sketches How large is the character? Does it have wings? Is it painting or playing a musical instrument or riding a carousel When you have a clear image, you can start building the armature that provides the structure and stability for your materials. You can use any porous material (wood, cardboard, heavy paper) and/or wire mesh to support paper-clay sculptures.

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This photo shows some of the supplies and materials I use – Elmer’s Wood Glue Max, unfinished wooden shapes, cardboard tubes, and wire mesh.

You will also need tools for measuring and cutting wood, drilling holes, hammering nails, securing wood screws, applying wood glue, and holding parts together while they are drying You can download the Tools and Materials List for Armatures & Sculpting on my website. Be sure to read the guidelines about safety and best practices before you start building your armatures

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Now we are ready to look at some simple forms.

The two winged gargoyles have complex armatures, each with a different style of wings The artist easel is made out of square chopsticks cut and glued together, and the canvas is an Ampersand Encausticbord trading card.

The paintbrush is an ornate wooden toothpick covered in paper clay, and the artist pallet is card stock with a thin coat of paper clay applied to both sides The drums are cut cardboard tubes in various sizes with circles of wire mesh glued to the top. And the mallets are wood pegs.

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Building Armatures Drums are the perfect place to start. They are easy to build and sculpt To build a drum • Cut a piece of cardboard tube.

• To make the drumhead, set the tube on a piece of wire mesh and use a permanent marker to trace a circle slightly larger than the tube.

• Use tin or multi-purpose snips to cut out the circle of wire mesh.

• Wrap the circle around the opening on the tube and bend down the edges. Glue the bent edges to the tube and let it dry for 24 hours Simple characters: You can use a small wooden figure form to sculpt chess piece size characters. For larger characters, you can buy 3 1/2 inch and 5 inch figure forms To build a stand • Use a hobby vise to secure the wooden form and drill a hole for a dowel stick in the bottom of the form.

• Use a doweling kit or drill press to drill a hole the same size in the top of the stand • Cut a dowel stick the length required to have the wooden form fit securely on the stand • You can glue the dowel into the stand, but don’t glue the character onto the stand (or the dowel) until you have sculpted and painted it.

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Complex characters Decide the size of your core body piece. Is it a square dowel or a round one? Is it thin or thick? How long is the body Next, determine the size of the limbs (legs, arms, wings, etc.) and how large they are in relationship to the body. Is the thigh larger than the calf? What’s the position of the leg (standing, sitting, crouching)? Is the leg inline with the base of the body or attached on the side of the body Now find and assemble the materials that fit your requirements First, cut the body piece and limb pieces to your determined length In the main body piece • Drill a hole for the neck dowel • Drill a hole or use a round file to make a groove for the arms • Drill a hole or use a round file to make a groove for the legs If the arms and legs have multiple parts • Use a round file to groove arms at the elbow and/or legs at the knee.

• Apply glue at the groove and use blue painters tape to hold the upper and lower limb together while the glue is drying. For larger size pieces, use small finishing nails or small wood screws in addition to the glue • Place the limbs on clean wax paper, and let them dry for 24 hours.

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Heads can be made with wooden beads, balls, knobs, or eggs.

• Before drilling a hole in the head piece, you need to determine the angle of the head in relationship to the neck. For round heads, this is simple to determine, but heads made from wooden eggs need to be matched to the final pose (is the chin down or up, the head looking forward or to the side, etc.).

• Once you’ve determined the angle, mark it on the form and use it as a guide when drilling the hole.

• Use a hobby vise to secure the wooden head and drill a hole for the dowel stick neck • Glue the head to the neck and use painters tape to hold them together. When it is dry, you can glue the head to the body If the character has wings • You need to determine the kind and size, develop a paper pattern, and cut and bend where required • Don’t attach the wings until all parts are assembled, glued, and dry • If the body form is large enough, you can tack the wings in place with a metal wood staple and then apply wood glue • If the body form is too small to tack with a metal wood staple, use wire thread or thin wire and a push pin to secure the wings in place and then apply wood glue.

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Designing wings: Simple wings that are fairly at are usually easy to design.

Designing complex wings with special folds takes a lot of trial and error. To create these patterns • Use printer paper to sketch one side of the wings, then fold it in half and cut out the pattern • Fold one side of the wings to see if it looks the way you want and if they are scaled to the correct size You can download instructions for Designing Wings and examples of Simple Wing Patterns and Complex Wing Patterns on my website.

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Sculpting with Paper Clay I prefer the ease and consistency of Creative Paperclay®. It’s a water-based, air drying, modeling clay. It’s nontoxic, odorless, and easy to use. And it feels similar to clay, even though it doesn’t contain any clay. It can be sculpted, molded, or shaped while it's moist. When it dries, you can mist it with water and add moist clay to fix cracks or add additional details When the clay is dry, it’s very lightweight and durable. And it feels like a cross between paper and soft wood. It can even be carved or sanded after it’s hardened

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To set up a simple sculpting area • Cover a large cookie sheet with foil. Place a layer of wax paper on top of the foil. Change the wax paper as needed • Put an inch of water in a glass jar with a lid (I use a jelly jar). Use the water for wetting and cleaning sculpting tools and the lid as a place to set your wooden sculpting tools and your clean up tool when you’re not using them • Cut paper towels into small squares and rectangles and place within reach. Use to clean tools • Fill a spritzer bottle with water and use it to mist water on the paper clay to prevent it from drying out while you’re sculpting • Wrap miscellaneous pieces of wood in wax paper and secure the wax paper with masking tape. You’ll use these for propping up delicate sculptures that need support while drying • Disposable gloves - If you prefer to use bare hands, keep a bowl with a wet rag in it for cleaning your hands frequently Be sure to let the glue dry for at least 24 hours before you start adding paper clay to your armature To sculpt drums: • Cover the outside of the drum in a thin layer of paper clay. I use a piece of 1-inch round dowel to help atten the clay on the underside of the drum head • I roll a long skinny piece of paper clay and wrap it around the head of the drum to make a rim. I use a damp wooden sculpting tool to form a seam on either side of the roll and then shape it.

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Simple characters can usually be sculpted in a single setting To sculpt characters without wings • If the character has a stand, wrap it in wax paper secured with masking tape. Be sure to leave the dowel for holding the character exposed • Coat the armature in a thin layer of paper clay • Start eshing out the character and adding details. I usually start with the body and limbs and use the head as a handle for holding the sculpture while working on the body. If the character has a base, you can use it to help hold the character when you are adding a tail (if your character has one) and sculpting the details of the head • Once the character is sculpted, let it dry completely. Once it is dry, you can touch up areas and add more detail by misting the dry areas with water and adding new wet paper clay Dev was sculpted on a small wooden figure-child form. I had to make sure there was enough room for the sculpted paintbrush and palette to fit in his hands.

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If the sculpture has wings, be aware that the wet paper clay gets heavy and can tear the wings if they are not supported properly while sculpting and drying them. I always do these sculptures in phases, starting with a base coat To sculpt characters with wings • Coat the armature in a thin layer of paper clay. Be sure to apply the base coat to the wings last • For rounded wings, use paper tubes and/or pieces of round dowels wrapped in wax paper to prop up the wings and help them hold their shape until they are dry.

• For large wings, carefully lay the character on its back on top of some wax paper covered boards with the wings carefully positioned into place and don’t move it until the clay is dry.

• Once the clay is dry, the wings are frozen in place and quite sturdy. Now you can add all the detail work and the tail (if your character has one) by misting the dry areas with water and adding new wet paper clay

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Painting Paper Clay Sculptures Be sure the clay is completely dry before painting it. You can paint your sculptures with any kind of paint that can be used on wood or paper. If you’re using water-based or oil paint to finish your sculptures, you should seal them with a coat of lacquer or varnish I always paint my paper clay sculptures with a single coat of R&F Encaustic Gesso before painting them with encaustic medium Painting drums are like painting on a smooth gessoed surface with curves. You can use mixed media and many of the methods, techniques and tools you use for doing encaustic painting.

Many of the drums in the Gargoyle Drum Circle are inspired by paintings in Emails from Paris with patterns created in Photoshop. I printed two copies of the pattern to scale on card stock and used one as reference and the other as a guide for sketching the pattern on the “canvas” with watercolor pencils.

Painting small characters with lots of delicate details adds a new set of challenges Before painting, secure the sculpture in a way that will allow for steady heat on the sculpture while continually adding and thinning the paint. Most of my sculptures have holes drilled in the bottom.

This makes it easy to secure the finished sculpture on a stand with a dowel stick.

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I build paint stands with extra long dowels to hold the sculpture. I use large wooden blocks to hold the stand in place. I usually wrap the stand and wooden blocks in wax paper secured with masking tape to protect them from wax drippings I hold the heat gun with one hand and apply the wax with the other. I’ve found that an Enkaustikos 1/2 inch Angled Hog Bristle Encaustic Brush works best for me I keep the heat gun set on low air flow and medium heat. Since most of my sculptures replicate stone, I’m using a very diluted white glaze for my base coat The goal is a very thin coat on all the surfaces, including the grooves and delicate details.

For the feet and underneath the bottom edge of the wings, I take the post out of the base and hold it while I apply the wax glaze to the hard to reach areas I then place the sculpture back on the base and use the heat gun and stiff brush to remove any excess wax.

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I use a 1-inch Chip Brush for stippling small amounts of color to selected areas. To apply a color, I dip the end of the brush in the tin, run the tip of the brush against the edge of the tin to remove any excess, and then gently dot the tip of the brush on the sculpture. It should just leave small scattered dots of color, not large blobs or splashes.

You can use a heat gun set on low air flow and medium heat to lightly fuse the wax. Or you can use a heated tool with a horn tip (my preferred tool) set on a low setting I use a small paint brush to enhance the details

Splash and Dev Painting S. Kay and Gerry Burnett Encaustic on paperclay, wood, wire, paper, gesso 7.25 x 12 x 6 in

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Now it’s time to tell your own story. Will it include gargoyles, animals, or other fanciful figures? I hope this process provides unlimited ways to expand your imaginary world and your creative repertoire

About the Autho S. Kay Burnett worked in the computer industry for 34 years.

During that time, she worked as a scienti c programmer, developed interactive software for children, and wrote online documentation. She’s published and presented scienti c papers, been a guest artist at the CSU Summer Arts program teaching interactive creative writing, and taught several interactive multimedia workshops In 2013, Kay began pursuing her love of art and creative writing fulltime. She’s the author and illustrator for Emails From Paris, a digital memoir/art book that includes over 30 encaustic illustrations and co-author and illustrator of A Gargoyle in Paris, a children’s picture book illustrated with encaustic sculptures.

The original artwork in both of these books was featured in her solo exhibition of encaustic paintings and sculptures at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art You can view Kay’s work a www.southofharmony.com www.instagram.com/southofharmony www.facebook.com/s.kay.burnett You can download a list of tools, materials, and wing patterns a southofharmony.com/news

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Wayne Montecalvo I work with images, processes, and a variety of materials in order to push the con nes of art making to reinvent, rather than reproduce an image. Allowing an idea to emerge organically through curiosity, I manipulate the materials to create unexpected results that distort and rede ne. I start with something expected and end up with something mysterious, aiming for singular or unique outcomes within a de ned image.

Taking a painterly approach gives me the option for discovery by welcoming chance occurrences to create a new way to see a familiar object When I work, I usually have a lot of things taking up space in the studio. I feel as if I need everything within sight all at once, all at the same time. There is often a pile up of stu , a group of parts, a concoction of possibilities lying around. I like to believe that there are always ways to change what we think we are seeing. Adding, subtracting, and composing in layers allows me to shift ideas until something comes into focus. The idea of a portrait that is changing has always intrigued me.

Things get mixed up and sometimes rearranged. I like when art making presents a problem and o ers something to work with and to work against The Perfect Pear Digital images, wax, acrylic paint, stain block, India ink on panel 33 x 19 in

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Unexpected Combinations

Veil Digital images, wax, acrylic paint, pencil, India ink on panel 35 x 22 in

On a Mission Digital images, wax, acrylic paint, stain block on panel 26 x 17 in

First House Digital images, wax, acrylic paint, stain block on panel 33 x 24 in

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I often incorporate photographic material in my work while making use of the adhesive properties of wax. Encaustic medium allows for easy manipulation to add and to take away.

I prepare my ideas on a substrate, either a photographic print, monoprint, photo-silkscreen print, drawing, etc. I prefer using Japanese papers when working with digital imagery, and I nd that those type of papers will allow for a lot of transparency and also absorb the wax really well. Encaustic medium can be easily reworked, allowing for easy edits, changes, and manipulations to a piece. I also incorporate other mediums such as di erent types of paint, as well as encaustic paint, stained paper, even materials that are not usually considered compatible with encaustic. I enjoy nding ways to make unexpected combinations work.

Harvest Digital images, wax, silkscreen print, encaustic gesso, India ink on panel 34 x 24 in

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Often it is a matter of redistributing clutter. And when I am putting something together, I want to include all possibilities.

But in the end, I decide on ways to restrict, or sort out, until it becomes an issue of elimination. I don’t know if that is good or bad, and it might only be a matter of composition or clari cation. We all end up with something to say; hopefully, something gets heard. A simple comment, sentence, or question for one person is not always simple for another. I can appreciate art that shows something is resolved, but still leaves room for something to continue. I try to manipulate the literalness of an image without relying too much on story telling and still allowing the viewer breathing room to ll in.

About the Autho Wayne Montecalvo is a multi-disciplinary artist who holds a BFA degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He currently lives and maintains his studio in Rosendale, NY. Past residencies: 2016 Awagami Artist-in-Residence Program in Japan; Women’s Studio Workshop, Rosendale, NY: two residencies at the Frans Masereel Grafic Center, Kasterlee, Belgium; two residencies at the Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT. From 1998-2013, Wayne taught in the Art Department at the State University of New York, New Paltz campus.

Additional teaching includes R&F Handmade Paints, Kingston, NY; The Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk CT; Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA; the Printmaking Center at the College of Santa Fe; Bard College, Annendale-On-Hudson, Red Hook, NY; The Woodstock Center for Photography, Woodstock, NY, Woodstock School of Art, Woodstock, NY; The Draw, Kingston, NY; and The International Encaustic Conference, Provincetown, MA. You can view Wayne’s work a www.waynemontecalvo.com www.facebook.com/waynemontecalvo www.instagram.com/waynemontecalvo

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Joe Digital images, wax, acrylic paint, India ink on panel 30 x 24 in

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Ezshwan Winding Convergence – Two or more things coming together, joining together, or evolving into one.

I see my art as converging two di erent genres, subject matters, and styles that are points of convergence. I move from gurative to abstract painting and back again, whichever vision aligns with my inspiration, message, and values. After more than 60 years as a working artist, I know I would be uninspired continuously making the same type of art Each painting must have something to say, but not the same message as an earlier work; I am not the same person as last year. I strive to make art that touches people's hearts, either abstract or gurative, and has spiritual meaning. Through my art, I hope to connect with others with beauty, harmony, color, form, and energy I believe that a successful career in art is a strong desire to create, keeping a clear picture of what you want to produce and share from the heart and soul. When it comes to studio work, my art is a personal expression of my intuition, excitement, and interest in pushing techniques and my materials I feel fortunate that I received a classical art education that emphasized the importance of accurate drawing Essence of Woman Encaustic, oil, ink, cold wax, stenciling, transfers 20 x 16 in

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Convergence

It Don't Mean a Thing, If It Ain't Got That Swing Encaustic, cold wax stencils, oil, inks, watercolor, ink transfers 40 x 60 in

During my art school years I learned anatomy, abstraction, composition, and color, and of course many di erent techniques and media. My major was painting and my minor was advertising design, both of which continue to be of value to this day The rst 10 years I worked mostly guratively with oil and acrylic. I then began to study and explore sculpture. My favorite technique was welded steel. When I missed color, I went back to my love of paint, mainly using oil and acrylics.

Then, the magic of my rst experience of seeing encaustic paintings in galleries in Portland, OR, took over and I have been hooked ever since Here, There and Everywhere Cold wax, oil, inks, watercolor, ink transfers 60 x 40 in

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The suggestion to touch the paintings surprised and startled the audience, but they soon happily participated.

One of the visitors told me she was studying encaustic at a local school. I asked her about the formula the class was using and was shocked to hear what they were doing. She was getting headaches during the class. The formula contained turpentine, stand oil, and other ingredients that do not belong in encaustic and are toxic when heated. I said, “This could kill you!” (Probably a bit extreme, but certainly not something any human should be breathing.)

An art student asked me, “Why don’t you teach?” And that is how my years of teaching began. And what a joy it has become.

I have met and connected with hundreds of people that I would never have met without the workshops.

The Depth of Beauty Encaustic, oil, ink, cold wax, stenciling, transfers 21 x 17 in

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I have worked in encaustic for over 20 years, and I try to push the boundaries of this medium to take me on creative journeys.

I have been teaching encaustic for more than 16 years in San Miguel de Allende. It all started when I had my rst art show in this lovely city in central Mexico. I had recently moved from Oregon and was anxious to become a part of this important art community. My rst exhibition was called, Please Touch the Paintings. I love to stroke the surface of my encaustic paintings and encourage my collectors to do the same.

The Lightness of Being Series I started this series in August 2018, when I was helping out an artist friend by taking charge of his gallery for three months. I had half the gallery for my art, and I was able to work in the space. It did not have enough ventilation to work in encaustic, so I chose to work in cold wax and oil, inks, watercolor, and ink transfers. This led to my original, new technique that I used in The Lightness of Being. While creating some smaller pieces, I listened to music, especially Yo-Yo Ma. I experienced the ow of the music into the paintings, and I discovered a freedom of movement while painting. The series progressed in my home studio, where I could incorporate encaustic.

I started with a couple of layers of white milk paint on a cradled plywood board. After the milk paint dried, I added abstract designs using watercolor and diluted inks. I built a soft pattern of abstract forms against the white negative space. I sometimes worked on this underpainting for several days. The watercolor softened when it dried. I worked on a wall and continually moved the board in every direction to make sure the composition was perfect. Then came the application of clear encaustic medium. It pushes back the colors even more.

Separately, I painted thin rice paper with watercolor, sometimes using stencil patterns. When the encaustic is still a bit warm, I started temporarily placing the dried torn rice paper shapes.

Nothing is permanent until I am satis ed with the placement.

Then another layer of clear encaustic goes on top of the rice paper. The process continues also incorporating wax pencil mark making, ink transfers, and some colored encaustic paint to emphasize areas Ode to Joy Cold wax, oil, inks, watercolor, ink transfers 40 x 32 in

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Adding rhythmic, moving lines and textures gives the work a kinetic movement, both meditative and musical. Each painting was in uenced by a di erent tune

Altered Faces Series As much as I enjoy painting portraits of beautiful people, I wanted to add more interest and variance to the faces. I usually just start painting in oil without drawing to keep the work loose. Then I cover the surface with encaustic medium and begin adding ink and cold wax, stenciling, oil glazes, and transfers, thus building layers and textures to achieve another convergence of styles.

When I receive visitors, I am happy to explain the encaustic process and give a short demonstration.

The encaustic technique encourages me to explore continually and expand my adventures in art About the Autho Ezshwan Winding, whose art career spans more than 60 years, is based in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. She is known for her exuberant encaustic abstract and figurative paintings that focus on the inner meaning of life and the power of introspection.

Hidden Messages Encaustic, oil, ink, cold wax, stenciling, transfers 15 x 12 in Also featured on the front cover.

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After a day or two, I move on if I am satis ed. If not, I heat and scrape and add more encaustic layers. It is an intuitive process

Ezshwan has shown her work internationally in France, Spain, Italy, Mexico, and the United States. Besides her studio work, Ezshwan teaches encaustic painting, both in her studio and online. She has been described as one of the world’s best encaustic instructors by the Essence of Mulranny EOM studios, an art school in Ireland, where she is one of the online teachers Ezshwan studied at the American Academy of Art, Chicago; Barett College, Lake Forest, IL; Contemporary Art Workshop, Chicago; U.C. L.A.; and the University of Illinois, where she received a FAA degree in painting and advertising design for corporations and museums.

Skilled in the business of art as well as its practice, Ezshwan owned and directed an art gallery in Scottsdale, AZ, where she developed an art marketing program for her gallery artists. Later, she founded the Gallery Living Colours in Ashland, OR, and taught portrait painting at Southern Oregon University. She continues to teach portraiture privately in her studio About her encaustic work, Ezshwan says, “The fluidity of the encaustic medium is challenging, exhilarating, inspiring, and exciting, making a painting that can be looked into as well as looked at. I strive for layered luminosity that is appealingly tactile, encouraging viewers to stroke and caress the surface, discovering the sensual experience of encaustic.”

You can view Ezshwan’s work, videos, and online classes a www.ezshwan.com www.facebook.com/ezshwan4art www.instagram.com/eschwanwinding www.youtube.com/user/ezshwan www.ezshwan.com/online-classes.html Reflections of Love Cold wax, oil, inks, watercolor, ink transfers 40 x 32 in

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Hand-poured encaustic paint Enkaustikos Also featured on the back cover.

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Developing Colors Kathryn Bevier A couple years after moving to Rochester, NY, I took a parttime job at Rochester Art Supply, a brick and mortar art store in downtown Rochester. Initially, I was on the sales oor helping customers. The owner, Mike Lesczinski, overheard me talking to some people who needed help picking out supplies for an upcoming class they were taking. I was talking to them about how to read a paint label and why they should go with one color versus another. Next thing I knew, he had set up a hot palette at the front of the store and handed me a few cakes of wax-based paint and said “play around with these and let me know what you think.” My response was “what is this?”

“Encaustic paint,” was his reply It turns out Mike and his brother John, also owned Enkaustikos!

They bought the company from Ann Hu man in 1996. When she owned it, it was called Mrs. Apple Tree’s Studio I found working with the wax paint to be both confusing and intriguing at the same time, but was excited about focusing on the medium for the company. Mike cleared out a space in his building for me to concentrate on learning as much as I could.

Soon, I became in charge of managing and provided support to the growing business.

We began to travel for conferences, art expos, and trade shows, and I found myself loving the ability to help people learn the basics of encaustic.

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For the last few years, my main focus has been on expanding our paint line by developing colors for the EnkaustiKolors and PBSeggebruch paint lines, as well as working with Shary Bartlett to create two sets and with Lora Murphy to develop the Micro-series line.

My own color lines are The Power of Gray and The Kathryn Bevier Collection. Most recently, I developed a line of colors for Erin Keane.

I have created well over 60 paint colors for Enkaustikos and have to say I am so honored to have this amazing opportunity.

Ace of Cups Encaustic on wood 36 x 12 in

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In 2007, Mike and John decided to take the company to a new level and prepare it for retail and distributorship.

Since then, my involvement with the company has had many shifts.

Mike and John have been extremely supportive of me, and when it comes to getting down to business, we always come to a really good decision that is supportive of the artists. This is evident through the various formats our paints are sold in and through working with instructors to support their workshops and, of course, the collaboration with the artists mentioned above We have a small number of dedicated staff that truly embrace their position at Enkaustikos and work hard to make the company successful The Kathryn Bevier Collection Enkaustikos

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Paint Sketch for Mendon Meadow 1 Encaustic on paper 8 x 8 in

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My working as a paint maker for Enkaustikos has de nitely in uenced my own art as well as my teaching style. As you can imagine, my forte is on helping people understand the colors they are working with so that they can make the most of their palette.

My own personal art isn’t so much about creating something that will hang on walls, but, rather, about understanding color relationships more fully and building community through education.

Paints just poured into molds Enkaustikos

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I am inspired by my surroundings and from memory. Wooded lots, expansive farmlands, and city scenes all generate the same response in me— nding the balance I love the way shapes and forms relate to one another and how colors interact. I use color and the handling of the medium to try and capture the essence of what is before me, to capture my experience as it relates to the present moment. These aspects are an expression of me in my art, even more than the subject matter.

I want my art to impart a sense of awareness, to have a sense of place, to communicate a feeling of atmosphere, and to create a palpable presence. I am interested in aspects of unity, of how everything comes together to create a grounded feeling of cohesion 9 of Cups Encaustic on wood 36 x 12 in

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Paint Sketch for Winter Trees Encaustic on paper 8 x 8 in

Twelve Thoughts Encaustic, paper, cloth, plaster on wood 6 x 6 x 6 in

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Since moving to Rochester, NY, in 1998, Kathryn has maintained a working studio, where she offers ongoing encaustic workshops.

She travels throughout the U.S., Canada, and Ireland providing enhanced encaustic workshop retreats. Her desire to build community for encaustic artists in the Rochester area has been instrumental in the forming of the Working with Wax Group. Most recently, she accepted the position as director of the Mill Art Center and Gallery, a not-for-profit organization that focuses on quality exhibitions and professional art instruction. While she exhibits regularly, mainly in the western New York region, her main focus is on the interplay between managing education and art outreach for the Mill Art Center and on product development and education for Enkaustikos Kathryn received the La Vandéenne Award in 2014 in the media category in part due to her educational outreach and online video contributions. She is also included in the publication Encaustic Revelation: Cutting-Edge Techniques from the Masters of Encausticamp, by author Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch, North Light Books (2014).

You can view Kathryn’s work a www.kathrynbevier.com www.facebook.com/kathrynbevierartworks www.instagram.com/kathrynbevier To learn more about Enkaustikos go t www.encausticpaints.com

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About the Autho

A Focus on Education Dietlind Vander Schaaf I met Darin Seim, R&F President, the rst time I attended the International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown in 2012. I distinctly remember swooning over the array of encaustic paints and Pigment Sticks® at the R&F booth.

In 2017, when I took over the Maine Coast Encaustic Retreat from founder Kim Bernard, I reached out to R&F to see if they would donate some encaustic gesso or a few Pigment Sticks® that I could share with my students. I was connected to Heather Roberts who oversaw donations, and she asked me to put together a much bigger wish list of materials. When the box from R&F arrived, it reminded me of Christmas mornings as a child. It was so exciting to open it and see all that fresh beautiful paint.

As my teaching took o , Heather invited me to become one of eight Core Artist Instructors at R&F. This program came with a high level of materials support and enabled me to begin doing live encaustic and Pigment Sticks® demos for retailers.

In 2018, Heather stepped down from her position, and I left my full-time job in development at Maine College of Art to begin working for R&F remotely from my home o ce in Portland

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Daybreak Encaustic, oil, 23 karat gold leaf on panel 36 x 36 in

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My role at R&F involves overseeing store demos, donations, and special projects, as well as managing R&F’s two working artists’ programs - Core and Tier. I truly love my job and feel that it is uniquely suited to me.

At R&F, I am part of a team of 17 employees, the majority of whom are artists. For example, Education and Studio Coordinator Sean Noonan and Production Manager Sean Sullivan are accomplished painters who work primarily with our Pigment Sticks® line.

Others, such as myself and Sales Associate Allison Carroll work with our encaustic paint. Vincent Pidone in Post Production works with both 100 ml Pigment Sticks R&F Handmade Paints

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R&F, founded in 1988 by Richard Frumess, is incredibly generous in terms of materials support for teaching artists. Indeed, under Richard and Darin’s leadership, the majority of our advertising budget is reallocated to put paint into the hands of instructors and their students.

Encaustic 104 ml R&F Handmade Paints

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When I worked in fundraising, I often wished that I was on the other side of the equation, in a position to determine whom to support, and now I am. Each day I am in touch with teachers from all over the world, who are offering workshops to local artists.

Fleur V Encaustic, oil, 23 karat gold leaf on panel 24 x 24 in

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Beyond donations and demos, I take on special projects as needed. One of the very rst projects I worked on with R&F was the development of a new website. Another favorite role I have at R&F is writing for our blog Unique Color. Currently, I am helping to build a more streamlined version of our website in German Ancient Gold encaustic R&F Handmade Paints

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In addition to overseeing our donation program, I connect retailers who carry our materials with teaching artists in their region to build reciprocal relationships. I train artists to offer product demos at stores, which provide helpful information to customers and store employees, as well as expand the artists’ teaching network and enable students eager to learn techniques to discover upcoming workshops.

Darin and I have cohosted three sessions of a livestream on YouTube called “O ce Hours” that aims to tackle frequently asked questions related to our products in a more nuanced fashion

Malachite Green and Cadmium Red Light encaustic paint R&F Handmade Paints

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With our workshop program on hold for the past year and a half, I partnered with my colleagues at R&F to expand our newsletter and blog with a focus on educational content and spotlighting artists who work and teach with our products. I created new demo videos for R&F’s YouTube channel and put together a free Virtual Summer Demo Series featuring our Core Artist Instructors.

Finally, with in-person demos on hold, I began o ering virtual product demos for art material retailers far and wide from my studio in Maine.

All of these roles draw upon my years of teaching, my educational background, and my experience as a professional artist. It is a privilege to work for a company that makes such high-quality products by hand and is so deeply committed to supporting artists

Alizarin Orange pigment stick on the mill R&F Handmade Paints

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Lucht II Encaustic, graphite, oil, 23 karat gold leaf on panel 36 x 36 in

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Dietlind Vander Schaaf holds an MFA from the University of San Francisco and an MA from the University of Southern Maine. Her work has been described as the transformation of “disparate objects into elegantly simple compositions of pattern and grace” (Artscope). Vander Schaaf has exhibited at the Cape Cod Museum of Art, Conrad Wilde Gallery, The Fuller Craft Museum, Kolman & Pryor, and On Center Gallery, among others, and has been featured in Maine Home + Design, Decor Maine, Downeast Magazine, UPPERCASE, and Artscope. Vander Schaaf is a Core Instructor for R&F Handmade Paints, an Ampersand Ambassador, and the former president of New England Wax. She is an annual presenter at the International Encaustic Conference and the recipient of grants from the Maine Arts Commission and International Encaustic Artists, as well as a Tending Space Artist Fellowship from the Hemera Foundation. Vander Schaaf teaches workshops throughout the country, including Haystack, Maine College of Art, Penland, Arrowmont, Castle Hill Center for the Arts, Snow Farm, Rhode Island School of Design, and, internationally, at Zijdelings in The Netherlands. She is represented by Portland Art Gallery and Artemis Gallery in Maine and Salon Design in Boston.

You can view Dietlind’s work a www.dietlindvanderschaaf.com www.instagram.com/ dietlindvanderschaaf To learn more about R&F Handmade Paints and encaustic painting go t www.rfpaints.com www.youtube.com/user/rfpaints/videos

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About the Autho

Building a Sense of Community The Florida Wax Journey Shelley Jean When the editors at Wax Fusion decided to feature a piece on the advantages of forming a local IEA chapter, Florida Wax was the first name that came up. The chapter was founded in 2017 and has been extremely successful. How did that first step happen? Was it inspired by a conference? A conversation with another encaustic artist?

I appreciate IEA reaching out to me; I thoroughly enjoy sharing about this amazing group of artists. We were born out of necessity in a sense. I was teaching encaustic workshops at Maitland Art and History Museum, and I kept having the same artists taking the courses over and over. They were addicted as much as I was and wanted to keep growing in their knowledge of encaustic. I had the thought one day, “What if we had a group that we could do all these things with? We could exhibit, share ideas, and help educate the community because SO many people still do not know what encaustic is.” I reached out to Janet Hickok, who was the Chapter coordinator for IEA at the time, and she sent me the information on what was needed to start a chapter. We needed a Vice President, so I asked AnneMarie Bercik, and together we gured out our mission statement. The rest is history Daughter of the Sun Anne-Marie Bercik Encaustic photography 18 x 12 in

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Florida Wax Members, Judy Pickett, Shelley Jean, Linda Lopez, Deni Karpowich, Alan Lindenmuth, Anne-Marie Bercik, Thomas Carmon, and Susan Hess. Not pictured, Esther Phelps and Francine Michel

The Three Shepherds Thomas Carmon Encaustic mixed media 24 x 31 in

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What are the requirements for becoming a member of Florida Wax? And how many members are in the group?

Our requirements for new members are that the artists are interested in exhibiting, contributing to charity events, and volunteering. Everyone works together to help in some capacity to set up, take down, making labels/promo cards, demonstrate, rideshare, or do drop o or delivery of work. We have people spread across the state from Fernandina Beach to St. Petersburg Beach with the majority of us located in the greater Orlando area, so it is important to have the willingness to be a team player. We also ask that everyone has at least taken an encaustic workshop and exhibited before. They also need to have a working knowledge and understanding of the integrity and ethics that professional artists need to adhere to.

We currently have 10 active members

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The Wild Ones Linda Lopez Encaustic photo 10 x 24 in

Leading a group like Florida Wax takes commitment to the encaustic community and a passion for your creative practice. Are chapter activities integrated into the studio work of the members?

Is there a mutual sharing of demonstrations and critiques?

It de nitely takes passion and commitment. I always say that I couldn’t do what I do without everyone else helping out so graciously. When we started the group, our goal was to try to have a chapter meeting once a quarter and have a group exhibit once or twice a year. At our meetings, we bring our current paintings to work on and critique, plan our events, and have great food and wine! Learning and sharing techniques with artists of all levels of expertise in their artistic journey is invaluable

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In the Spiral Alan Lindenmuth Encaustic monotype 12 x 12 in

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• Having the opportunity to collaborate, support, and encourage one another as individual artists working with this incredible medium.

• Being able to exhibit in so many amazing venues, especially those that we may not otherwise have a solo show at.

• Contributing to charitable organizations together and helping to educate the community about what encaustic is and what it isn’t

Aging Banyan Francine Michel Encaustic mixed media 15 x 30 in

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What are the top three advantages of forming a local/regional chapter of IEA?

Glorious Day Shelley Jean Encaustic mixed media 18 x 24 in

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What holds the group together and keeps it thriving and energetic?

Group exhibition? Chapter meetings? A social media group? An affiliation with a gallery or school?

I think the sense of community that we have established within this group is a truly incredible gift. We come from all walks of life, all di erent ages and stages. Each person brings something unique and di erent to the table that helps elevate us as humans and artists. But the common threads of the love of encaustic and our comradery are what have banned us together. It is an honor to foster that atmosphere of friendship and family within our group.

Our group exhibits have gained momentum and support from local galleries here in Orlando and throughout the state.

Ironically, during the shutdown, we had more opportunities arise than we ever imagined! We currently have a show at the historic Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, as well as a show at the University Club in Winter Park. We will be doing a “pop up” show in conjunction with the Sarasota Art Walk at The Bonvoy Marriott Hotel for Labor Day weekend. We do have a Florida Wax private Facebook group and a public Instagram page which can be found at www.instagram.com/florida_wax We do not have an “o cial” brick and mortar gallery or school, but as I previously mentioned, my teaching at Maitland Art and History Museum was integral in the birthing of Florida Wax

Urban Nest Susan Hess Wax, watercolor crayons, rusted washers, paper 24 x 18 in

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The Florida Wax website, which you maintain, is quite wonderful.

Could you share that link, as well as some photos of your own work and that of your members?

Information on upcoming show and opportunities can be found here at www.shelleyjean.com/florida-wax

Palm Grove Judy Pickett Encaustic cyanotype 24 x 36 in

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Cayman Beauty Deni Karpowich Encaustic 12 x 36 in

Tempest I Esther Phelps Encaustic 30 x 30 in

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Shelley Jean Bi Shelley Jean is an artist/educator who studied at the Florida School of the Arts. She graduated from the University of South Florida with a B.S. in Art Education and has taught in the public and private sector for over 30 years. She currently teaches at the Maitland Art Museum, Art Studios of Cocoa Beach, as well as her own Secret Place Studio in Orlando, FL. She o ers inperson workshops, private mentoring, and online workshops.

She hosts Encaustic Art for the Soul Retreats nationally and internationally in Asheville, NC, New Mexico's Ghost Ranch, Hawthorne, FL, and Tuscany, Italy. She is the founder and President of Florida Wax, a Chapter of International Encaustic Artists and a Tier Artist for R&F Paints

To learn more educational opportunities go t www.shelleyjean.com/education-1

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Tubac Center of the Arts International Encaustic Artists recently partnered with the Tubac Center of the Arts in Arizona to present Metamorphosis, an internationally-juried exhibit of artworks created with encaustic, hot, or cold wax paints, in 2D and 3D. The exhibit opened on October 1st and will remain on view until November 14th at the TCA Main Gallery Artists were urged to enter work that is innovative in concept and approach, whether representational or abstract. Jurors Lisa Pressman and Susan Stover are nationally-recognized artists, whose own work pushes the boundaries of wax art, incorporating fabric, experimental mark making, and cultural fusion into their practices.

Karon Leigh, Artistic Director at the Tubac Center for the Arts, shared her thoughts on the logistics and scope of the exhibition. “We appreciate the opportunity to partner and collaborate with IEA for this timely and far-reaching exhibition.

The artists represented are from 17 di erent states, Canada, Ireland, and Sweden. The work presents the variety and versatility of the media and materials, providing not only a visual delight to visitors, but also a truly educational experience.

When Women Were Birds #3 Diane Kleiss Encaustic, mixed media, cardboard, found objects 30 x 14 x 14 in Best of Show

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Metamorphosis

Although art is best experienced in person, Tubac Center of the Arts also provides a virtual web page, tubacarts.org/project/ metamorphosis for those unable to attend in person.

IEA is pleased to collaborate with the Tubac Center of the Arts in this signi cant internationally-juried exhibition, and we congratulate the artists whose work was chosen, both IEA members and non-members Lisa Pressman says, “I think the show re ects the variety of approaches that artists bring to these two media.

And Susan Stover adds, “The show illustrates the breadth of what artists are doing with encaustic and with oil and cold wax.

The works incorporated printmaking, collage, photography, sculpture, and mixed media, as well as traditional approaches with each painting medium. It was exciting to see how both media complement each other and how the artists’ unique sensibilities were translated through their chosen medium.

The exhibit’s “Metamorphosis” theme is a tting metaphor for the rapidly expanding realm of encaustic and cold wax expressions. Much like an organism that has gone through a series of metamorphoses, this exhibition showcases the evolving possibilities of the world of wax-based art

Waiting for Michael II Karen Frey Encaustic 16 x 12 x 1 in Award of Excellence

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Divergence Carrie Belk Oil, cold wax, mixed media on wood panel 12 x 12 in Award of Excellence

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Cold wax, as well as encaustic, is well-represented in this show. Historically, a form of cold wax was used to create the famous “mummy portraits” unearthed at Fayum in Egypt, so it shares an ancient history with melted beeswax as a medium

Rebellion Cindy Walton Oil, cold wax, waxed lined thread, arches oil paper on panel 16 x 16 x 3 in Award of Merit

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Mellow Yellow Mandi Ballard Fiber, encaustic 8 x 10 x 10 in Honorable Mention

Shine Jessica Crouch Encaustic, gold foil 36 x 24 x 2 in Honorable Mention

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Three-dimensional pieces are also in evidence, often combined with other materials such as rusted metal, wood, and ber

Tubac Center of the Arts also hosted an exhibition of the work of the jurors, Lisa Pressman and Susan Stover, titled Visual Conversations, in the TCA Master Gallery. Lisa and Susan respond to each other’s work with an answer in their own work, a call and response, with groupings of works that seem to belong together to tell an abstract narrative Exhibition Dates: October 1 - November 14, 2021 Jurors: Lisa Pressman and Susan Stove Tubac Center of the Arts 9 Plaza Rd, Tubac, AZ 85646 (520) 398-237

You can view Metamorphosis a tubacarts.org/project/metamorphosis You can view Visual Conversations a tubacarts.org/project/visual-conversations

Susan Stover Juror

Lisa Pressman Juror

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ConVergence – Wax on the Water An Intimate Encaustic Retreat by the Bay ConVergence - Wax on the Water combines an intimate retreat with an art exhibition, artist reception, and multiple workshop opportunities in a beautiful coastal setting.

Morro Bay is a small coastal community located on the Central Coast of California, halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Enjoy miles of unspoiled beaches, nature trails, estuary, and the world-famous Morro Rock Attend IEA's intimate retreat by the bay with a small group of artists and a shared experience (demos, panels, and talks).

Share meals and get to know your fellow artists (Meet & Greet reception, continental breakfasts, and lunch bu ets). Attend the La Vendéenne Award Dinner (included with retreat).

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Attendees who are new to encaustics can add a pre-retreat beginner workshop on Wednesday and Thursday, April 6-7, 2022. Attendees can also sign up for one of multiple postretreat workshops being o ered on Monday and Tuesday, April 11-12, 2022.

Workshop-only attendees are invited to join the retreat attendees on Sunday, April 10, 2022, for a continental breakfast bu et, a presentation/talk (hopefully by our La Vendéenne Award recipient), and an IEA meeting. They can also participate in our members art exchange. And everyone is welcome to attend the IEA Juried Exhibition and artists’ reception on Sunday afternoon The retreat and exhibition will be held at Art Center Morro Bay located in the historic downtown area, within walking distance of the Embarcadero and multiple inns and hotels. Workshops will be held in Morro Bay and nearby Los Osos and San Luis Obispo

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A Virtual Conference Package is included for free for Retreat and Workshop attendees. For Virtual only attendees, there is a minimal charge Virtual content will include product and technique videos, instructional material (digital books, handouts, and patterns), a short video walkthrough of the exhibition, conference videos (edited videos from a few of the Friday and Saturday demos, talks, and panels), and a short video of the La Vendéenne Award dinner Registration for the retreat and workshops will open in mid November. Be sure to check the International Encaustic Artists website for updates on when registration will open Retreat space is limited, and we will start a waiting list once all retreat spaces are lled

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ConVergence An International Encaustic Artists 2022 Juried Exhibition Russell Gallery Art Center Morro Bay 835 Main St, Morro Bay, CA 93442 Convergence is the act of separate entities coming together to create something new; a uni ed whole. In biology it speaks to parallel evolutionary patterns where similar traits spontaneously appear across unrelated species, and the same phenomenon can happen across societies as well.

Convergence happens when knowledge and methods from varied disciplines and cultures come together to spur new thought and innovation.

In a tumultuous era when we can feel divided from one another physically, emotionally, culturally, and politically, the idea of convergence represents hope. What can we do as artists to create bridges; to reach out and pull together rather than push apart?

We invite you to consider and interpret the idea of convergence and submit your work to our new juried show, which will take place in conjunction with our retreat in Morro Bay in April, 2022. Entries will open in November, 2021, so stay tuned for the formal call for entries in the coming weeks. You can also check www.international-encausticartists.org/CallsforEntry for updates. We are proud to announce that our juror for this exhibition will be Pamela Smith Hudson.

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About the Juror Pamela Smith Hudson is a Los Angeles-based mixed media artist.

Her interest in encaustic painting began while working in the art material industry. Smith Hudson joined Enkaustikos as an instructor in 2012. She has a long affiliation with Ampersand Art Supply and recently became a part of the Ampersand Artist Ambassadors program. She has been teaching encaustic painting at Los Angeles California Museum of Art and Otis Art and Design Extension program for the last 8 years. Smith Hudson has previously juried the Buenaventura Open Encaustic Competition in 2015. She has collaborated with the Broad Museum on an encaustic educational video in conjunction with the Jasper Johns Retrospective Exhibition.

She was also involved in collaborating with the Getty Museum on an educational historical perspective on encaustic painting.

You can view Pamela’s work a www.pamelasmithhudson.com www.facebook.com/PamelaSmithHudsonArt www.instagram.com/pamsmithhudson

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Lyn Belisle, Encaustic mixed media

The La Vendéenne Awards Celebrating the Best in the Enduring Encaustic Community The Beginning Texas EncaustiCon 2012 - Lights dim, music begins, voiceove Ladies and Gentlemen....distinguished nominees and participants...on behalf of International Encaustic Artists we welcome you to the first annual La Vendéenne Awards.

The Basics The La Vendéenne Awards were established in 2012 by International Encaustic Artists to recognize artists or groups who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement and practice of encaustic art. The awards are named in honor of a 4th Century female encaustic artist, whose buried remains were found, along with the tools of her encaustic art, in the La Vendée region of France. This anonymous woman is known as La Vendéenne, and the International Encaustic Artists award that supports their mission of “raising the level of excellence in fine art encaustic work” is named in her honor.

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The History This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the coveted La Vendéenne Award for excellence in encaustic art, but the practice of wax as a fine art medium is more than 2000 years old. The encaustic wax painting technique was described by the Roman scholar, Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History from the 1st Century AD. In the 20th Century, painter Fritz Faiss (1905–1981), a student of Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky at the Bauhaus, together with Dr. Hans Schmid, rediscovered the so-called “Punic wax” technique of encaustic painting. Encaustic art has seen a huge resurgence in popularity since the 1990s, and the La Vendéenne Award celebrates the very best in this ancient and modern medium.

Portrait of a young man Wax, egg, oil on lime wood, AD 80-120

Portrait of a woman Encaustic on lime wood, AD 55-70 Photos by S. Kay Burnett

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As evidence of the strong connection from the historic to the contemporary, the first lifetime recipient of the La Vendéenne award was Jasper Johns, who throughout his career used the ancient method of encaustic by heating beeswax, tree sap, and pigment and layering it onto the canvas, “as evenly as one would frost a cake.”

The Process Candidates for the La Vendéenne Award are nominated by their peers through a form which provides a place for written recommendations and extensive supporting material. A panel of jurors who might represent museums, art schools, or IEA itself make the final decisions. The La Vendéenne Award was designed to include anyone working in encaustic. This early decision was important because it insured that the highest criteria for winning an award is excellence and not organizational affiliation. IEA provides the monetary award in their budget so that the cash award is sufficient and does not need to rely on sponsorship. The La Vendéenne Outstanding Contribution Award and the nominating process is essentially the same as it was when designed in 2011 by Harriette Tsosie, Lorna Kemp, Michelle Belto, and others on the IEA committee.

The original concept of the La Vendéenne Award Designed by James Meyer

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The Future In 2022, in conjunction with our upcoming retreat, ConVergence – Wax on the Water, IEA will celebrate our next recipient at the La Vendéenne Outstanding Contribution Award Dinner. IEA membersat-large will be given the opportunity to make nominations. The Awards Committee will narrow down the nominees, and the IEA Board will make the final selection. The award will go to someone who has contributed to the mission of IEA to support the growth and advancement of wax artists at all stages of their careers and provide opportunities and resources within a global community. We also want to reflect the growing diversity in our community, and how artists are focusing on such themes as environmental concerns, gender issues, social equity, and using cold wax, hot wax, and mixedmedia-dimensional constructions to express these concepts. As both the practitioners and the audience for the encaustic/wax community grows, the La Vendéenne Outstanding Contribution Award will continue to celebrate the excellence and diversity of this ageless and captivating medium To learn more about the La Vendéenne Outstanding Contribution Award, including criteria and a list of previous winners go t www.international-encaustic-artists.org/La-Vendeenne

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IEA on Social Media We take great joy in shining a spotlight on IEA members’ work through our active and vibrant presence on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest Our goals are to • highlight and celebrate the work and accomplishments of IEA members • announce new opportunities • engage and educate people about encaustic arts; an • foster a sense of community among encaustic artists Have you shared your current social media handles with us? We suggest that you log into your IEA profile to check that your social media info is up-to-date. We also ask members to grant us permission to share their work by signing a terms of usage permission form Through our @iea_encaustic account, we regularly share work of artists who have granted us their permission. With more than 3,500 followers, our posts get lots of attention and interaction We also invite members to tag us in their posts. Use these two hashtags whenever you post #iea_encaustic #internationalencausticartists You can also follow these hashtags to see lots of inspirational posts by other artists working in wax.

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Instagram www.instagram.com/iea_encaustic/

Images courtesy IEA Artists. All rights reserved.

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Be sure to visit us on Pinterest and Facebook.

Pinterest

Facebook

www.pinterest.com/ ieaencaustic/

www.facebook.com/ international.encaustic.artists

Need help getting started? Email us at socialmedia@international-encaustic-artists.org.

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It Takes a Team!

As an all-volunteer organization, it takes a team to create and sustain our social media presence We extend a very warm and special thank you to former Social Media Director, Shary Bartlett, who worked tirelessly for 2 years to build, guide, and nurture IEA’s social media team We feel privileged to now have a truly international social media team coordinated by Social Media Director, Regina Quinn, with members from across Canada, Europe, and the United States, including Emma Ashb Peter Blackmor Joe Cell Cindy Clar Alison Fullerto Sally Hootnic JuliAnne Jonke Deni Karpowic Birgit Kentra

Gina Louthian-Stanle Ursi Lysse Megan MacDonal Barb Mizi Judy Picket Caryl St. Am Melissa Stephen Trudie Wolkin

Become an IEA Member IEA supports the growth and advancement of artists at all stages of their careers and provides opportunities and resources within a global community. This past year, IEA provided 42 Art Heals grants to help our members with supplies and education and sponsored digital-juried exhibitions like Vignettes in Wax and Words. Artists at all levels are welcome to join www.international-encaustic-artists.org/

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CONVERGENCE 1.

the act of converging and especially moving toward union or uniformity

2.

two or more things coming together, joining together, or evolving into one

3.

the point of converging; a meeting place

4.

the moving from different directions towards union or one another, especially referring to entities that were very different or even opposed

A digital publication of International-Encaustic-Artists.org

Fall, Issue V:2021 Convergence

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