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 :).

Plan with a small p

Starting this piece on Thursday, I realized I was going through the same mental process I do with any medium.  And again, I realized I was finding my rhythm with encaustic.  THANK GOODNESS!  I was losing hope.  Maybe that is when we always find our rhythm with anything - when we’re almost out of options.

For me it’s best if I don’t plan too far ahead - it just limits my possiblities.  And frankly, it’s a waste of time.  The painting will take it’s own turns anyway.  I tend to get a basic plan on paper - not a detailed drawing but a basic design plan for the major light and dark shapes.  With encaustic, I do it on tracing paper so I can lay it over the wax as the piece progresses and press my lines into the wax where needed with pencil.

Before I start to paint, I decide on a:

warm color

cool color

a color that will tie the two together

and I think about which direction my darkest value will go as well as my lightest.

With that general plan in mind I feel like I have my values covered so I won’t go too far astray.  I mix colors that interest me and work well together — and test them on scrap paper.  

And I start.  From that point, every decision rest on whatever is on the board.  The painting is dictating decision after decision and the original plan, such as it was, no longer has any bearing.  The original colors that I mixed are changing on the palette - whether I’m adjusting them on purpose or they are getting mingled as I dip my brushes in each one.  Either way, there is harmony as the piece moves along.

Or not.  Either way, it is natural progression and from my position in the chair, an adventure.  It’s actually sort of a journey.  When this 10” x 12” is finished, I’ll feel like we’ve been on a road trip together, like a friendship has developed - built on all the little things that we shared during our time at the encaustic table together.