Celtic ConVergence Wax Across the Water

October 12 - 17, 2023

Pre-Retreat Workshops: Wednesday and Thursday, October 11-12

Post-Retreat Workshops: Tuesday and Wednesday, October 17-18 in the field, following the whistle commands from their owner. On the tour bus, Colum, our expert guide, was both hilarious and informative. He would close his eyes on the steep hairpin turns down the mountain, while teaching us the history of the Great Potato Famine. After a few days of rainy, blustery weather in the village, the sunny day we had on Achill was a spectacular joy!

Our first IEA ConVergence retreat in the spring of 2022 on the coast of California was a remarkable event for those who attended. We experienced deep community, explored revolutionary ideas in our art form, and generally rejoiced in being together in person at the end of the land and the edge of the water.

At the end of the retreat, Lora Murphy suggested we gather again in 2023, but this time on another coast – the wild, remote coast of Western Ireland. It was our first international encaustic retreat, and it featured demos, presentations, and workshops by instructors from all over the world.

Regina B. Quinn, President of International Encaustic Artists, was asked to sum up the experience in three words. She chose community, celebration, and magical.

We also asked our three scholarship recipients to share their favorite moments, the top tips and tricks they learned, and what impact attending the retreat had or will have on their art practices.

Celtic ConVergence was a thrilling experience. Here are a few of my favorite moments.

Getting to know the instructors and participants during mealtime. Hats of to the organizers at the Essence of Mulranny Studio and Mulranny Arts for feeding us so well! Between morning and afternoon demos, we enjoyed a healthy homemade lunch prepared by Lora Murphy’s husband, Lars. Friday night we were treated to a 4-star dinner at the Mulranny Hotel, and Sunday night many of us gathered at Nevins Pub, where local Irish musicians entertained us as we dined. Every place was the perfect environment to share stories and laughter, exchange contacts, and make friends.

The days were jam packed with learning. The uber-talented instructors shared a plethora of techniques including using encaustic with unusual substrates like egg cartons and molded paper (Janise Yntema), and fresco (Bettina Egli Sennhauser). But bookending all the activity, I appreciated the quiet moments like watching the sunrise over Clew Bay from “The Nest,” where I was lodging and strolling the Causeway with my walking buddy, Jennifer K., to watch the sunset.

I toured Achill Island where The Banshees of Inisherin was filmed. The scenery was jaw dropping - jagged rock formations rising out of turquoise water, bordered by lush, brilliant green fields, dotted with sheep, quaint cottages, and stone ruins – a nature lover’s dream!

The wealth of information presented at Celtic ConVergence was extensive. Here are just a few great encaustic skills I learned.

For a cleaner pigment stick application, Joanna Kidney advises rubbing it on when your encaustic panel is cool. Then, before wiping of the excess, gently scrape it away with a razor blade. Both of these tips prevent the pigment from becoming embedded where you don’t want it and leaving a film or haze that can be difcult to completely remove.

To achieve a crisp shape using stencils, Linda Robertson recommends burnishing your stencil onto warm wax. Paint encaustic medium from the center of the opening toward the edges so any wax that leaks under the stencil will be clear, making it easier to remove. Next, add a thin layer of encaustic paint. Now you can fuse both layers with the stencil in place for a crisp raised edge.

Click here for more great stencil tips from Linda! www.lindarobertsonarts.com/retreat-tips

To make beautiful waves in her seascapes, Isabelle Gaborit demonstrates this easy process. First, using a flat brush technique, apply a light colored, opaque paint like Celadon over a darker blue like Cerulean or Indigo. Position your blow torch straight down and do a hard melt of the wax in a horizontal line. Then reposition your torch so the flame is parallel to your panel and push the light opaque paint upwards, creating cool striations that mimic flowing water and light contouring around waves.

Celtic ConVergence has inspired me in so many ways. I’m excited to try some new techniques like pyrography that Lorraine Glessner demonstrated or using pigment sticks as Regina Quinn does to achieve a heightened luminosity and glowing quality.

Apart from the techniques though, I’m especially inspired by the instructors’ energy while they paint. Mel Williams is positively endearing as she “cracks on about the wobbly bits” in her painting – she’s carefree and having so much fun!

Colum worn out from transporting 50 women!

And Isabelle Gaborit teaches the importance of plein air sketching, not for the sake of producing a study for a later painting, but to build muscle memory in your body for the impending brush strokes and to absorb the energy of the landscape that is released as you’re creating art in the studio. I’m hoping Isabelle’s process will help me loosen up, as my work can feel somewhat tight and exacting. I may even sneak a bit of texture into my typically smooth surfaces!

Lora and Cheryl at the helm of Mulranny Arts and Essence of Mulranny have created a magical space that fosters positive energy. Both women excel at putting everyone at ease, and likewise, I found everyone involved with the retreat to be incredibly kind and helpful. I sincerely thank IEA for the scholarship, the opportunity to take part in the magic, and the memories I will forever treasure.

About the Author

Living in the Pacific Northwest, where nature is both lush and muted, I create encaustic work exploring the beauty of aging and renewal, represented with botanical forms. I build luminous depth by layering encaustic and digitallymanipulated photos printed onto translucent papers, inviting the viewer to discover obscured imagery and to suggest the passage of time. By connecting with my artwork, I hope others can appreciate the fragility of Earth in our short time upon it.

You can view Carol’s work at www.carollelivelt.com www.instagram.com/carollelivelt

Isabelle Gaborit with me and my painting