Working toward the Foreground

I’m home but my head is still in this painting.  I started the day at 10am with a bag of cheetos and a Diet Mountain Dew.  Every day should start with a nutritious breakfast.  I worked till 3pm when the dogs were getting restless so I took them home and zoomed back to continue.  They’ve started wanting to go home mid-day which is fine — I need some fresh air and a few minutes away from the painting by that time anyway.  I realized it was dark outside at 6:30 and closed down for the day.

On days like this, I’m reminded of the wisdom of having a detached studio.  If I worked at home, I’d still be working…..and it wouldn’t be smart.  At a point, I’m not as tuned in and really need to stop.  Knowing WHEN that is can be KEY. 

The best part of being an artist is….

drumroll…..the best part is not dreading Monday!  As a kid I hated the Lassie Show on Sunday night because it meant I was one bedtime from a Monday morning.  When I worked a traditional job, Sunday nights were the worst — a long, structured week was ahead.  Not to be negative, but those were tough times.

As a painter, I work hard and feel very committed — but I LOVE what I do.  I enjoy getting in my car and driving to the studio.  Of course, there are days when I can’t get excited about working but truthfully, there is NEVER somewhere I’d rather be.  Actually, that can be weird.  If I don’t want to be at the studio then I’m very freaked out….because I don’t know where I want to be.  I only have one favorite place.

Today, I only had a few hours at the studio so I used my time to clean up my work area.  I needed to push back the disorder, sweep, and rethink what’s at arms length.  Done!  I’m ready for Monday and I’m looking forward to it.  

Groovin’

Part of getting in a productive groove is figuring out a system.  And I tend to not figure it out….I stumble over it and finally crash into it.  I really think that has been the hardest part of learning to work with wax.  The tools and process are so completely different from anything I’ve done before.  As I pushed my pans closer together to make room for ONE MORE today, I saw evidence that I was finally getting into a groove.  I’ve had to make decisions about what kinds of pans and brushes work best, how to make paint, how to organize colors, so so so many decisions…..but there is a method to my madness now.  Finally.

 

This piece is 18” x 24” and I’m enjoying working a little larger.  It’s definitely a slower process — and more physical, believe it or not.  My whole day was spent on the dark indigo areas of this piece.  I carved out these areas, painted, then scaped back with a blade.  I finished with a layer of clear medium.

Mind Your Beeswax

http://pinterest.com/mindyourbeeswax/

When I first looked at Pinterest I thought it was for addicted shoppers - I didn’t get it.  It slowly dawned on me that I could use it to collect what I’m interested in…and now I am….addicted.  

It’s helping me become more curious.  Surfing the web was awkward because I didn’t have a purpose OR I couldn’t stay on task.  If I don’t know where I’m going, I have a hard time enjoying the trip.  Pinterest has given me a picture frame for my web wandering.

I actually think it’s useful for me.  I”m looking around and I think that’s good.  

Road Trip!

Jelly, Misty, Dana Rogy, and I loaded our van and headed north yesterday.  I decided it was time to get some feedback on my encaustic paintings from the staff of a trusted gallery.  I’ve been working in near isolation for over a year and have been feeling the need to get a reading.  What a reading means….I’m not sure.  No one is going to change my mind about what I’m doing but I need to know if anyone else sees what I see. 

Knowing when to listen to someone else’s opinion is very tricky - and intensely personal.  For me, I need to feel like the work is close enough to “there” that I’ve done my part but not wait till I am entrenched in a way of working and a message to the point that input will devastate me.  Timing….so much timing.

Above all, I have to listen.  I don’t have to use what I hear but I need to hear what is said.  I think I can learn from every comment and it’s my choice if I let it change my direction.  Actually, some comments strengthen my resolve to NOT alter to please - while other comments bring something to my attention that I really want to address.  It’s my art and I make all the decisions.  

The best part of my meeting today was that I feel encouraged.  I’m enthused about working harder and feel less like a recluse.  I’m very appreciative for the help I received today.  Very.     

Brilliant, right?

Painting storage is a BIG DEAL for me because of the the dumb stuff I’ve done in the past.  Actually, I’ve done five dumb things — they’re named Carm, George, Noah, Smooch, and Spoon.  With cats in the studio, paintings are NEVER left in the horizontal position!

This bakers rack is working great for encaustics and caseins.  They’re protected from dust and little feet.  And I adore all ten little feet, by the way.  They’re all rescues who needed a safe home and regular groceries.  Below are George and Carm - best buds when they aren’t in mortal combat.  

The Terror Begins

I’m starting the new piece.  A ground of wax medium has been applied to the board in several layers, fusing after each.  Here I’m carving the area away for my first layer of pigmented wax.  This piece is the largest I’ve done yet and I could fill large areas with wax, making it harder to keep the painting surface level, so I’m segmenting my composition so I can avoid that problem….as much as possible, anyway.

Filling, I want to let one color flow into the next.  I want change all the time but I want my colors to be in harmony.  I also know that this first layer should be slightly bolder than I ultimately want because it will diminish under layers and layers of wax medium applied later. 

After scraping back and working in two additional areas, this is where I left my encaustic today.  A long LONG way to go but I got over the fear of STARTING.  I did a lot of staring, color mixing, testing, and general avoiding before starting today.  Tomorrow I hope to jump in quickly

BIG

I photographed this in Chase, AL.  It’s some kind of old englne that was on the ground, alone in a field.  I love it and it’s probably still there - I need to go check.   I did a watercolor of a portion of it several years ago and now, I’m using it as a subject for an encaustic.  It will be large by my standards - 16” x 24”.  I have no idea how this will develop in wax but I’m giving it a shot.  I’m excited but more terrified than anything.  I’m going to harness my fear for good :).

Layout

This is really getting funny.  I struggled with how to add a fourth palette for weeks - the trick is that I want all my paint pans to the right of me but I can’t bring a brush of hot wax TOO FAR.  You’d be surprised how big a deal I made of it.  Anyway, I solved my problem last week and I’m working happily…..

Till now.  I’ve decided to work on a larger board 16” x 24” and that will change everything again!  I also have a tendency of never going back to smaller work once I increase the size of my board (or paper) - so I’m torn about whether to take the step.  Judging from the past, it will be a definite step.

Under Repair

That may be the title of this piece, seriously.  I’ve learned more about “fixing things” on this one that I ever wanted to know!  My wax was too thin in one area and it didn’t become evident until my final four or five layers of “apply and scrape back”.  I learned a new use for a bamboo tool yesterday and the value of preserving a little of my base wax colors until I finish a piece (you never know if you’ll need them).  This has been a valuable learning piece and I’ve salvaged it so far.    I still have a day or so to go, so I won’t speak too soon.

And the studio was used this week for a Friends of Retrievers foster home meeting.  Our group gathered to discuss fostering, procedure, and get to know each other a little better.  I am BEYOND fortunate to have friends in two caring and forward thinking communities — artists and animal rescuers.  Both groups think outside the box and look for answers instead of excuses.  

Speaking of fosters, the third passenger on the way to the studio every morning is Dana.  She’s my current foster dog, a rescue from our local animal shelter.  Dana appeared basically healthy but I soon discovered she had severe allergies, digestive upset, two broken teeth, sores along the gum line, and she was very sad and depressed.  Our Dana is NOW on a grain free diet and feeling 100% better!!  She’s had a dental and those bad teeth are gone, and she’s skipping through her day like a happy little dog should.  Fostering is one of the most positive experiences of my life - next step for Dana…..her very own happy home :).

Knowing when to say when

I ended my day here.  I spent several hours on this piece and should have stopped thirty minutes before I did.  I’m so reminded of my early days in watercolor — I’m tempted to work an hour beyond my fatigure point — thirty minutes into that hour I stop but it’s already too late.  I’ve done something I wish I hadn’t.  It’s all part of learning and I still wonder.  When will I know enough?!?

Of course, thirty minutes beyond good decision making is certainly better than plunging ahead for hours.  It’s all part of paying attention to the nagging doubts and knowing when they are a real signal to back away.  Sometimes taking a break to think and take a fresh look is enough — other times it’s best to call it a day.

I’m going back tomorrow.  Call me crazy but I just keep going back.

Hard at it

I’m continuing to work on this piece — only had a few hours today because I transported Rosie and Annabelle to their “ride north” this morning.  You’ll notice in the top left corner, I”m cutting into the wax, preparing to put the shadows on the brick wall.  

My rough plan is on tracing paper.  It’s basically a cartoon with placement of the largest shapes.  The last thing to go into this composition will be a fire escape - which is the closest thing to the viewer.

I love the wax medium in the pans — much like with watercolor, I mix on the piece as I paint and the colors on the wax piece are a combination of what is here.  I never try to mix exactly what I want on the palette — being too intentional never seems to work for me. 

Got ‘em Shot

I grouped a few pieces today to see how they look on the wall.  It’s always interesting to see the transformation when they leave my work table.  Part of it is the fact that I quit analyzing and become more detached.  And a frame always does something magical — it pulls a piece together and convinces me that it IS finished.  Some people still revisit a piece after it’s framed but I rarely do - I have to move on at some point.  

I packed up five encaustics and took them to be photographed.  It’s interesting after lugging around watercolors for so many years - sliding them into boxes and loading them vertically in the back of my van.  I’m paranoid about traveling and handling these wax pieces but I know I’ll adjust.

 

Walt Schumacher  with WSPhoto did my photos.  He’s quick and has a great set up, and can be contacted at walt@WSPhoto.org. I was in and out in 30 minutes! He’ll provide a CD but I just asked that he email my images to me and I’ll pay via Paypal.  Love it!!

Then back to the studio this afternoon.  My new setup is working — I’ve added a palette, so the pans I’m using the most are on the table beside my piece.  The “L” shape is becoming a long reach but so far, it’s manageable.  

Dogs for Lunch

I framed today and this piece is finally hanging on my studio wall.  I worked after dog biz and then again after lunch.  And yes, dogs were the subject at lunch.  When are dogs NOT the subject?  Well, when cats are, I guess.

I frame my work in batches, mainly because I don’t like to pause to do it.  The more practical reason is that I purchase my frames wholesale and the shipping is free IF I purchase over five frames at a time.  If I wait too long the task is overwhelming, so five or six is a good number to work with.   

Tomorrow I’m having my encaustics professionally photographed and it’s the first time I’ve hired a pro in years.  Photographing my watercolors was a simple process - setting up two light stands at 45 degree angles and shooting.  My encaustics are going to require a different approach - maybe a couple of diffusers will be all I need but I’m going to let a pro help me this time.  Thank you, Walt!!

Carm in the Middle

 Framing today.  Gluing backing boards on six encaustics and Carm had to be shifted as I added each new piece to the table.  Tomorrow I’ll put them in the frames.  

After the glue was dry enough to leave it, I went back to work on the new piece I’ve started.  

At the end of the day I said good bye to Noah.  I got a text from the shelter over a year ago while I was working at the studio - they had a kitten with a cut down the side of his nose and asked if I wanted to come get him.  I went over and got the very shy black kitten and he began his journey through foster homes and adoption events.  Noah landed back with me ;).  His right eye still drains occasionally and he has a small scar down his nose — he’s very shy and cautious by nature so he’s joined my family of wonderful misfit cats.  He’s beautiful and I’m lucky to have him.