Wax Fusion Spring Issue IV: 2021

Wax Fusion Bridget Benton Catalyst Art Lab Phyllis Bryce Ely Paul Kline Leah Merriman Regina B Quinn Heidi Rufeh Adrienne Circelli-Silversmith

A digital publication of International-Encaustic-Artists.org Spring, Issue IV:2021 Out on the Edge

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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, Photo of wet shellac burn by Paul Kline Encaustic, shellac, fire on cradled panel

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From the Editors We live in ever changing times, and we decided to change things up a bit and include a few instructional articles in this issue. We chose the theme of "out on the edge,” and let artists decided what that meant for them. For some, it means being out on the edge of opportunity, discovery, or a new beginning.

For others, it is about pushing boundaries, taking chances, and losing control Kurt Vonnegut said, "I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.

Bridget Benton sought to rewrite the mantra of toner-based image transfer with an inkjet-printer solution. The founders of Catalyst Art Lab looked for new ways to empower artists and build a community in this time of isolation.

Phyllis Bryce Ely developed a method for going unplugged to create Plein Air encaustic paintings. Paul Kline loves the lack of control and the random patterning that is created by wet shellac burns. Leah Merriman looks at how the phrase "out on the edge" has changed for her as an artist. Regina B Quinn attempts to capture the radiant edges of day. Heidi Rufeh explores living on the edge of change and how our actions help decide our future. Adrienne Circelli-Silversmith seeks to create meaningful work without restraints.

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 S. Kay Burnett Paul Kline

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Instructional Rewriting the Mantra

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Bridget Benton

Empowering Artists

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Catalyst Art Lab

Wax Unplugged

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Phyllis Bryce Ely

Encaustic Wet Shellac Burns

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Paul Kline

Inspirational Out on the Edge

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Leah Merriman

Edge of Day

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Regina B Quinn

On the Edge of Change Heidi Rufeh

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Without Restraint

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Adrienne Circelli-Silversmith

IEA on Social Media

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Exhibitions and Workshops

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Back Cover, Edge of Day by Regina B Quinn Encaustic, oil, watercolor on Encausticbord, 10 x 10 x 1 in Left, detail of Voyagers, by Heidi Rufeh Encaustic, 16 x 32 x 3 in

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Content

Rewriting the Mantra of the Toner-Based Image Transfer Bridget Benton When I was rst learning to do water image transfers onto encaustic, I heard “Only toner-based copies will transfer.” And during my 10-plus years of teaching encaustic, I’ve repeated the mantra. But I also told my students, “In art, if there’s a rule, there’s someone out there breaking it. Successfully. So, don’t be afraid to experiment.

My work relies on wide-format copies for image transfer. I love everything about black and white photocopy transfer – the dark imperfectness of the copies, the way the whites disappear and allow me to layer images, the ability to reuse an image over and over again to develop a symbolic language. I would run down to Kinko’s at midnight, use their self-service wide format laser copier, and walk away with 36” toner-based copies on easy-to-dissolve-and-rub-away 20lb bond paper for less than $1 a square foot.

And then the technology changed.

Kinko’s became FedEx O ce and replaced all of their selfservice wide-format black and white laser printers with inkjets.

Inkjet printers are faster, less expensive, and produce a higher quality image than the old school laser ones – and with color. It was a no-brainer for copy stores, but a disaster for me Inside Outside Encaustic with toner-based image transfer 24 x 18 in

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Images used for image transfer tests Encaustic nature prints, photo, nature print

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So, with the help of an IEA Grant, I took my own advice and EXPERIMENTED. A blog post by encaustic artist and instructor Clare O’Neill busting the toner-copy myth was a huge help. She reported having great, consistent water transfer results using an Epson R2880 inkjet printer and a Canon Pixma inkjet printer, while using Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte. The di erence between those printers and other inkjet printers like the ones that hadn’t worked for me - pigment ink.

So why have encaustic artists and instructors repeated the toner-copy mantra? Because for so long, commercial copiers (and then home laser printers) were relatively cheap and easy to use and produced consistent results Toner is a powder that is melted onto the paper and so sits on the surface of the paper, making it easy to transfer. Black toner is also extremely fade resistant (unlike many colored toners).

Most inkjet printers, on the other hand, use a liquid ink or dye that absorbs into the bers of the paper. Attempts at a water transfer with a standard inkjet print will result in a blurry mess.

Pigment ink is di erent. It consists of tiny particles of pigment suspended in liquid, meaning the pigment doesn’t dissolve in the liquid. The liquid absorbs into the paper or evaporates, but the majority of the pigment particles – measuring 0.1 micron are caught by the paper bers. This means that those pigment particles can then be transferred to the surface of your encaustic painting, and those tiny 0.1 micron bits will be encapsulated in the wax after fusing. Pigment inks have better fade resistance and longer print life and are currently the inks most often preferred for ne art prints on paper.

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Of course, not all pigment printers are created equal and every manufacturer has di erent formulations. The ink, printer, and even the paper can impact results. Some transfer well – and some don’t. So, I set out to test as many pigment-ink printers as I could – from all-in-one type home printers to big commercial printers. While I did test some color prints, my goal was to nd a pigment-ink printer that would come close to replicating my Kinko’s experience: wide format, black and white prints on 20lb bond paper, for a few dollars a square foot WITHOUT buying a $2000 printer.

None were perfect, but a few came close and earned a score of 5 or higher on my rigorous 6-point scale I tested 6 di erent printers – two each from Epson, Canon, and HP. If I had $2500+ to invest in a wide-format printer that could produce images in the 24”-36” wide, I’d opt for an Epson SureColor P-series. My suggestion here is to print on inexpensive art paper with a matte nish – test the ones that are available to you. For now, I’ll be going to my local print store and happily shelling out $6.25 a square foot for prints My favorite for image transfers up to 11” x 17” was my own Epson WorkForce using DuraBrite Ultra inks on Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte. If you’re looking for a home printer, it’s worth testing any of the Epson printers that use DuraBrite Ultra inks I’ve included a table with results for all 6 pigment-ink printers I’ve also included simple step-by-step instructions for water images transfers Bottom line? You CAN do an image transfer with a pigmentinkjet print. You’ve just got to experiment.

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Top left, Image Transfer Result for Epson SureColor P-series Top right, Image Transfer Result for Epson Workforce using DuraBright Ultra inks on 20 lb Bond Paper Bottom left, Image Transfer Result for Epson Workforce using DuraBright Ultra inks on Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte

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Market

Brand/Model

Pigment Ink (DuraBrite Ultra)

Home/All-in- Epson WorkForce One

11” x 17”

Pigment Ink (DRHD)

Home/All-in- Canon Maxify MB One series

8.5 x 14 (Legal)

Pigment In (Lucia Pro)

Professional/ Canon Fine Art Print imagePROGRAF series

13” (personal) to 60” (commercial)

Pigment Ink (UltraChrome)

Professional/ Epson SureColor P Fine Art Print series

13” (personal) to 64” (commercial)

HP Pigment Ink Professional/ HP DesignJet Z6 & Z9 Fine Art Print series (note: the HP DesignJet T series – found at some FedEx O ce locations in the self-serve area - does NOT use pigment ink)

HP Pigment Ink Commercial

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Ink Type & Brand Name

HP Pagewide XL

Max Size

24” – 44”

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Rating 1-6

Paper(s) Used

Result/Notes

20lb bond

Somewhat delicate, some color blee

Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte

Result was very good on the heavier paper – If Epson made a wide format printer that used this ink, it would be a good t.

20lb bon

Delicate, can easily rub o , lots of color bleed – worth trying with a higher grade paper like Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte if you own this printer

20lb bond

Delicate, can easily rub o , lots of color bleed – worth testing on a higher grade paper if you own this printer (the model I tested is the “personal” version

True Matte (formerly “Cheap & Good”)

While I couldn’t test it on a 20lb bond, the “Cheap & Good” paper used by the printer was relatively easy to rub away, and is $6.25 a square foot. The 24” version of this printer runs $2,200

Epson Enhanced Matte

It does transfer without bleeding, but the paper is very di cult to rub away, so needs to be pulled from the surface which is less forgiving and often left an incomplete transfer

Uncoated art This particular paper was 46lb and very hard to rub away, but pape with a di erent paper, this could be a good option. Cost was around $4.50 a square foo

“Smooth” coated-art paper

Left an o -white lm that burned when fuse

20lb bond

Very delicate – it’s hard NOT to rub it away, and what’s left is often blurry or dissolved. Lots of bleed. I had high hopes for this printer, which is only a few dollars a square foot to print, but it’s just too delicate for most transfers.

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The Basics of the Water Transfe 1. This kind of image transfer works best on a very smooth encaustic surface that is the temperature of sun-kissed skin. Too cool, and the transfer won’t adhere. Too warm, and your burnishing will leave impressions in the wax.

2. Place your copy face down against the surface. The transfer comes out as a mirror image, so be sure your print is the reverse of how you want the nal version 3. Cover with wax paper and burnish. Make sure to go over the entire surface, especially the edges. I use a metal spoon to burnish – the wax paper ensures that I can go up to the edges of the transfer without getting wax all over the spoon.

How much pressure? You want the ink or toner to adhere to the surface, but you don’t want to push so hard that you leave impressions in the wax 4. Dampen the paper and gently rub the paper bers away. I have found that letting the water pool can exacerbate bleeding and smearing on a pigment transfer print, so mist lightly and rub gently.

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5. Let dry. If you try to fuse or add wax before the surface is completely dry, you could end up with water trapped in your wax.

6. Once it’s dry, you shouldn’t have more than a fairly thin layer of paper bers left on the surface. If there are dense or totally opaque areas of paper, re-wet and gently rub away 7. Lightly Fuse. It is my preference to fuse before putting down another coat of medium. This way I know the image is encapsulated in the wax, and all of the paper bers have been saturated with wax.

However, especially for pigment-ink transfer, dense transfers can wrinkle slightly when fused. In that case, or if you have very few visible paper bers, simply apply medium and fuse once dry. Fusing too heavily on a toner transfer can cause the image to crack; fusing too heavily on a pigment transfer can cause the inks to bleed. For example, a black area might also have yellow pigment in it, and the pigments could separate, leaving yellow marks in a black area Example of a transfer disaster

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In her work, Bridget Benton uses unusual juxtapositions of objects, symbols, and materials to explore themes of home, connection, belonging, and memory. Benton has always been drawn to media that support working intuitively and building layers - monoprint, photography and collage, fiber, and assemblage. In 2006, she began incorporating encaustic into her work and found her “perfect medium.” Her work has been shown in venues coast to coast and is collected internationally.

Benton’s passion as a teacher is helping people discover and develop their own creative voice. Her workshops focus on techniques and processes that facilitate self-discovery and creative exploration. Her award-winning book, The Creative Conversation: ArtMaking as Playful Prayer, is a guide to creating ow in your creative work and building intuitive artmaking skills. Bridget Benton holds a BA in Studio Art and an MS in Creative Studies Benton currently lives in Asheville, NC, with her husband, two stepdaughters, and large co ee mug collection. She is a resident artist and the lead encaustic instructor at 310 Art in the historic River Arts District You can view Bridget’s work a www.BridgetBentonArt.com www.310art.com www.instagram.com/BridgetBentonArtist

Emergence Spring Encaustic with inkjet image transfer 14 x 11 in

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About the Autho

Helen Dannelly

Jeffrey Hirst

Lisa Pressman

Paula Roland

Susan Stover

Empowering Artists Catalyst Art Lab Empowering artists through innovative teaching and an engaging membership community A new artists’ membership community and teaching site successfully launched this fall in the midst of the global pandemic. Catalyst Art Lab (CAL) and school was co-founded by ve artist educators from across the country who met through the encaustic community: Helen Dannelly and Je Hirst (Chicago), Lisa Pressman (New Jersey), Paula Roland (Santa Fe), and Susan Stover (California) An umbrella organization, Catalyst Art Lab is comprised of two entities: 1) a robust, engaging membership community and 2) a school that o ers beginning, intermediate, and advanced courses in painting, printmaking, ber, sculpture, color theory, and design The mission of CAL is to bring together adventurous beginners, mid-career, and seasoned visual artists to cultivate growth in a meaningful and supportive community so that artists can be less isolated in the studio, develop new ways of approaching work, and achieve their creative goals.

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At the beginning of the pandemic, when exhibition venues were closing, classes were being cancelled, and artists were becoming increasingly isolated, we recognized the need for a deeper community and additional creative support.

Given our expertise in di erent media, we conceived of an online teaching site where we could continue to o er classes.

We also decided to create our own membership community, where artists could engage with one another on a regular basis, share artwork, triumphs and challenges, and support one another in their creative pursuits

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Chicago artist, Helen Dannelly, teaching color theory online from her studio.

As a member of the Catalyst Art Lab community, you can connect with other artists, attend weekly open forums on de ned topics, participate in weekly critiques by one of the cofounders, have interactive dialogue with arts professionals, participate in group exhibitions, access resources, materials, tips, and more For emerging through established artists, Catalyst Art Lab has content for all stages of your creative and professional development. In this inspiring community of like-minded creatives, you can start your week by logging on to the site to watch “Monday Mash-Up” where Paula Roland might provide a tip for storing paint sticks, or Sue Stover will suggest a weekly smallworks challenge, or Je Hirst will demo how to make a value scale to help you assess value ranges in your work

Sue Stover fabric demo

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Later that week, you could attend an Open Forum discussion with other artists to discuss juried exhibitions, or mounting, framing and displaying your work, or developing your own style and more.

Members bene t by either listening to or participating in weekly critiques to receive feedback and suggestions about composition or color or materials in your work. You would rst share what you think is working in the piece, where you are stuck, what you would like feedback on, and ask any questions you have And every month, you can tune in and listen to and participate in a live Zoom interview with Q&A with artists and arts professionals like Joanne Mattera, Chicago Gallerist Dan Addington, and Irish artist Joanna Kidney. You could hear Elaine Grogan Luttrull, CPA, and author of Arts and Finances, discuss nancial wellness for artists And there is a monthly-panel discussion by the ve cofounders on relevant topics such as “The Art of Pricing Your Work” or “How Do I Know I’m Ready to Show My Work?” Plus there is an annual exhibition exclusively for the Catalyst Art Lab membership community at Chicago’s Bridgeport Art Center In the school of the Catalyst Art Lab, which is separate from the membership community, you can nd a wide range of courses throughout the year covering encaustic painting and monoprinting, sculpture, mixed media, oil and cold wax, drawing, ber, printmaking, and art fundamentals like color theory and design. These classes are open to the public whether you are a member of the Catalyst Art Lab community or not, although members get rst priority to register for classes. A member’s discount will soon be o ered as well.

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Course listings as well as one-on-one mentoring sessions can be viewed at catalystartlab.com Lisa Pressman teaching painting with oil and cold wax prior to lockdown.

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Sample courses include "Zen, Big Brush and Expressive Markmaking" and "Dipped and Saturated (Wax + Paper),” both taught by Paula Roland; “Discovery and Release; Mixed-Media Printmaking Without a Press” and the very popular "Experimental Drawing" with Je Hirst; “Demystifying Color” and “Implementing Color,” comprehensive color classes taught by Helen Dannelly, and an intensive class working with the language of abstraction co-taught by Lisa Pressman and Susan Stover. There are many more classes in painting, printmaking, experimental drawing, ber, and 3D encaustic o ered on a rotating basis throughout the year. Most classes during the pandemic are successfully taught online through Zoom while a few are o ered as pre-recorded

Paula Roland pulling an encaustic monoprint on her Roland HOTbox.

To learn more about classes open to the public at the Catalyst Art Lab school and about the Catalyst Art Lab membership community, which will be open again for registration soon, visit catalystartlab.com All ve co-founders are proud of what they have created during this time of COVID and invite you to register for classes and join the invigorating Catalyst Art Lab membership community soon For further information, please call Helen Dannelly at (415) 515-425 Or email Helen@CatalystArtLab.com

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About Helen Dannell Helen Dannelly draws on over 30 years of professional experience in helping you realize your artistic goals. Helen’s teaching is informed by a unique combination of training that she utilizes in guiding you conceptually and technically. She studied painting at San Francisco State University and sculpture at the University of Minnesota, MN Moving easily between drawing, painting, and sculpture, Helen has developed unconventional ways of mixing mediums that create emotionally evocative pieces. Helen’s work focuses on metamorphosis both personally, in natural phenomena, and of the materials. Her organic sculptures are inspired by the natural world, a nod to sea life, and plants. Complex surfaces and engaging forms invite viewers to explore the impact of climate change — a metamorphosis of decline.

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Helen Dannelly with Clusters, encaustic and paper.

Helen is attentive to the importance of art fundamentals weaving them into her classes. She recognizes that these components (color theory, elements of composition, and drawing/markmaking) are skills that need to be continually developed and refined in order for students to leverage them effectively in their work. This mastery results in students creating more sophisticated work and understanding why it is more successful.

Helen is also an R&F trained Advanced Encaustic Instructor, a Golden Artist Educator, and a Silver Brush Educator. She offers individual mentoring sessions You can view Helen’s work a helendannelly.com www.facebook.com/helen.dannelly www.instagram.com/helen.dannelly Chasing Coral Fosshape, encaustic 32 x 40 x 14 in

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With an MFA in painting and printmaking from Louisiana State University, Jeff Hirst seamlessly moves between various mediums.

Throughout his 35 years of work and teaching, Jeff explores the intersection of printmaking techniques, painting, and sculpture, the place where he believes magic happens Jeff pioneered the process of combining silkscreen and encaustic painting in 2005 and remains the only resource for learning this technique

Chicago artist Jeffrey Hirst with his encaustic painting Aqua III at Brandt Roberts gallery in Columbus, OH.

Jeff is always thinking outside of the box, as many of his enthusiastic students agree, combining high- and low-tech solutions in executing his work. You will find his perspective opens up new ways of seeing your practice and approaching your work and is ideal for mixed-media artists. He is also recognized as an R&F Handmade Paint Core Instructor and a Silver Brush Educator.

Jeff offers individual Directed Study (mentoring) sessions that help artists develop their unique voice.

You can view Je ’s work a jeffreyhirst.com www.facebook.com/jeffrey.hirst www.instagram.com/jeffreyhirstworkshops

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About Jeffrey Hirs

Carbon Blueprint Encaustic on shaped panel 57 x 37 in

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Lisa Pressman is an American abstract painter whose work encompasses the transcendent conditions of passion and spontaneity. Her tactile surfaces speak of emotion in physical form and insist in a sense of imperfection and unquenchable humanness. Known as a master colorist, her paintings reveal a depth of intuition and mystery that suggest an existential consciousness A native of New Jersey, Lisa received her BA from Douglass College Rutgers University in ceramics and her MFA from Bard College in painting. She has been exhibiting in solo and group exhibitions since 1981, and her work is in numerous private and public collections

Navigation 5 Encaustic on panel 10 x 8 in

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About Lisa Pressman

She is represented by Susan Eley Fine Arts in New York, Addington Gallery in Chicago, and The Gallery of Fine Arts in Telluride.

Lisa is a highly-respected instructor who maintains a vigorous teaching schedule throughout the U.S. and internationally. She offers mentoring, portfolio review, and private workshops with her teaching focused on cultivating the visual voice of each student You can view Lisa’s work a www.lisapressman.net www.facebook.com/lisa.pressman.1 www.instagram.com/lisapressmanart

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About Paula Rolan Paula Roland, who has over 40 years of teaching experience, is the pioneer of the Encaustic Monotype process and the go-to expert in encaustic on paper and panel. Through her art, teaching, and creation of the Roland HOTbox, Paula elevated the profile of encaustic printmaking An internationally-recognized teacher and lecturer, she taught painting and drawing at the college level for years and taught encaustic in Italy, France, and throughout the U.S. She was given The Vendéenne award for Innovation by the International Encaustic Artists Association

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Cosmic Debris Encaustic, india ink on panel 40 x 60 in

Roland received endowed commissions from the National Endowment for the Arts, and from the U.S. Department of State for their permanent collections in Kampala, Uganda, and Johannesburg, South Africa. She received fellowships to artist residencies at VCCA in Virginia, and VCCA in Auvillar, France; Anderson Ranch Arts Center; The Drawing Marathon at the New York Studio School; and two from the Santa Fe Art Institute, where she studied with renowned artists Lynda Benglis and Elizabeth Murray. She resides in Santa Fe, NM Paula has an MFA in painting and sculpture from the University of New Orleans and a BA in painting from Dominican College Paula Roland pulling a print off the Roland HOTbox.

You can view Paula’s work a paularoland.com www.facebook.com/PaulaRolandArt www.instagram.com/paularolandart

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Paintings, works on paper, and installations by Paula Roland have been widely exhibited, with nearly 100 quality group exhibitions.

Her 24 solo exhibitions include shows in Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Santa Fe, Scottsdale, France, and at the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum in Mississippi. Roland is featured in numerous books and articles on encaustic, printmaking, and installation art

About Susan Stove Susan Stover is a San Francisco Bay Area artist and draws on over 30 years of professional experience. Susan received an MFA from California College of Art in Oakland, CA and a BFA from Miami University in Oxford, OH. Both degrees focused in textiles and painting, and she seamlessly moves between various mediums. Her work exists in and between the realms of painting and sculpture Susan's paintings and sculptures explore themes of cultural identity and storytelling. Having studied different cultural-aesthetic traditions from around the world, she is attentive to the strong historical, social, and cultural references of certain mediums and techniques. Susan’s work simultaneously references and exploits these elements.

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Susan Stover with her work, Sentry I, II, III, Encaustic, 72 x 24 in

You can view Susan’s work a susanstover.com www.facebook.com/susanstoverart www.instagram.com/susanstoverart

Random Mixed media, encaustic 5.5 x 4 x 4 in

Cassion Mixed media, encaustic 6 x 16 x 6 in

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She brings this depth of art historical and cultural knowledge to her work and teaching. Combining art historical information and a rich understanding of the processes, techniques, and histories of the various mediums enhances her teaching and helps you to consider these elements as you conceptually frame your art practice

Wax Unplugged Plein Air Encaustic Painting Phyllis Bryce Ely My paintings are rooted in landscape, inspired by dramatic skies, moving water, coastal edges, and churning nature. My intention is to give viewers just enough form and color to evoke a feeling of connection, inviting them to bring their imaginations to my experience of a place. I live and paint along the Lake Ontario shoreline near Rochester, NY, a region that owes its beauty to glacial scouring that left behind rolling terrain and abundant fresh waterways, including the Finger Lakes.

I am a studio and plein air painter —the two are halves of one whole that in uence each other and give me balance. Working directly outdoors connects me with nature as I explore the idea of place In the studio, I work in oils and encaustic wax. Oils are my baseline joy, but hot wax has become my most adventurous medium with inspiration coming from the molten wax itself. The ability to paint, build, carve, collage, print, and combine with other media is compelling.

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Ontario View Encaustic 6 x 6 in

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Plein air challenges me with its demand for complete attention and immediate response. Each painting is evidence of an experience of a connection and, like a journal, each speaks to the day it was painted. For decades, painting outdoors using traditional media was enough for me —that is, until I crossed paths with encaustic wax about nine years ago

Plein Air Basics Regardless of medium, plein air fundamentals are universal. A satisfying experience is dependent on planning and preparation to preserve working time. Quick advice: plan your destination and schedule according to lighting and weather; anticipate your color palette and organize paints accordingly; prepare a variety of substrate choices; use short-handle brushes; pack your gear in a portable cart and re-stock after an outing so you're ready for the next time; and dress for conditions so you are not distracted by yourself For your comfort and safety, know where restrooms and services are located, bring a phone, tell someone where you’re going, and paint with a buddy if you can When painting, commit to what inspired you; it’s tempting to chase changing conditions.

Work e ciently: mass major shapes, build value structure, add detail until you feel nished. The goal is to complete a painting in one session without further work. Despite all your planning you are subject to nature and circumstances, so be open to surprises —some of my favorite plein air paintings are the ones I didn’t expect to do Casey Park, October Encaustic 6 x 6 in

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Getting Unplugged: IEA Project Grant Although oils are a plein air staple, encaustic wax and its need for electricity-fed heat kept me tethered to the studio. I wanted to bust outside to connect plein air with encaustic wax. How could I overcome “the plug” The obvious starting point was a camp stove. I began ddling with scenarios and pestered my engineer husband with technical questions. What kind of stove would work and be portable? How could I manage heat? What’s better, butane or propane? The best answer was to experiment, and he gave me a small one-burner Coleman camp stove to get started About then, I learned about the IEA Project Grant and decided to apply to pursue an “unplugged” encaustic workstation.

In 2019, my proposal was accepted, and I got to work over the next three seasons in a variety of conditions and locations.

Photos of Phyllis painting by Mark Ely

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Experimenting with Camp Stoves I began by experimenting with the Coleman using what I had on hand: an old cast iron griddle, an anodized aluminum monotype plate, a grill thermometer, and butane fuel. My rst lesson learned was that because camp stoves are designed for high heat, it was a challenge to keep the surface temp low enough for wax. I tried a few con gurations to chase the temp down, including di erent types of metal sheets and even a soapstone slab. Wind threatened the stove’s ame, so I propped up a foldable stainless steel pizza peel as a windbreak. Torch fusing went as expected but the ame is not visible outdoors. I relied on my own shadow, sound, and reaction of the wax to manage the ame. I soon learned that melting wax on an uneven surface runs to the low side in a puddle. My substrates were Ampersand panels with Pan Pastel underpainting and wax medium

www.amazon.com/Coleman-Portable-Butane-Stove-Carrying/dp/B00FGPXVSM/ ref=sr_1_23?dchild=1&keywords=coleman+stove&qid=1610830056&s=sportinggoods&sr=1-23

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After the Coleman, I wanted a more substantial and roomy workstation and chose the Blackstone table top portable 17” grill for its size, surface, and weight. I practiced in my own yard and came to like this stove. Its raised edges o er wind protection and provide a brush rest to keep tips in contact with the warm surface. I added the same 10” x 14” anodized aluminium plate on top of that as my palette. Again, keeping the temp low enough for wax was a challenge. The plate ran too hot, and I needed a spacer to lift the plate from the griddle.

I tried coins, jar lids, baking parchment, and thick button magnets—anything to interrupt the heat ow. Coins and jar lids were okay but scooted around; parchment worked well and made it easy to lift the plate. The magnets worked the best and stayed in place. In fact, magnets turned out to be helpful all around. I now use them along the sides to keep brushes in place and a tiny magnetized bubble level helps me set up a at work surface.

Shop grill accessories for other ideas and tools www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195MZHBK/ ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1x Brand

Heat source

Fuel/temps

Coleman

single burner

Blackstone H-burner with cook surface

Fuel Set up duration

Working area

Work surface

Wgt

Est cost

Butane canister, about an tabletop unreliable hour below 32℉

your metal plate

anodized aluminum plate

4.7 lbs

$45

Propane 1 lb., good to -40℉

cook surface anodized 15 ¼” x 17” aluminum plate

21 lbs

$115

a few hours

tabletop or butler stand

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Working and Learning With a workstation sorted out, I set out to paint. I organized my paints into palette-themed egg cartons and prepared a pile of small Ampersand panels with a variety of underpaintings and wax medium to suit just about every scenario

I packed a rolling cart with supplies, tools, papers, and ventured to favorite local painting spots including Lake Ontario and the Erie Canal.

I recommend making a supply checklist.

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Wax Unplugged Checklist Workstatio ❏ campstov ❏ sturdy table or butler stand for campstov ❏ long sturdy board for extra work area if using a stan ❏ fuel and spar ❏ sharpie to mark start and stop times on fuel containe ❏ anodized aluminum plat ❏ spacer of choice to elevate plate above hotplate (magents, expanded aluminum grill, parchment, pennies… ❏ temperature gaug ❏ small magnets for brush holders on edge of stove ❏ wind break (I use folding metal pizza peel ❏ stand or table (heat tolerant ❏ long board that extends beyond camp stove for working surfac ❏ small magnetic leve ❏ shim ❏ torch, fuel, spar Substrate ❏ prepared boards with variety of underpaintings and wax medium (if you know your composition, lay in underpainting of your choice in advance ❏ small Arches 88 and rice papers for “clean up” monotype

Paintin ❏ paints organized for quick access, no hunting (egg cartons ❏ lots of wax medium (pellets best ❏ brushe ❏ surface/incising tool ❏ PVC rounds to elevate boards while working and fusing (multiple Othe ❏ wheeled pull-cart/crate with top for storage, transport, and table surfac ❏ potholder ❏ small tong ❏ paper towel ❏ apro ❏ folding side table (TV tray ❏ clean pizza boxes to store paintings ❏ wax paper if you need to stack wor Safety and comfor ❏ tell someone where you are, paint with a friend ❏ charged mobile phone/camer ❏ if cold, scrap of carpet to stand o ❏ bug repellent (they like colors and smell of beeswax ❏ water and snack ❏ water/ re extinguisher just in case

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Compared to traditional plein air painting, encaustic wax has some unique factors. To begin, there's even more emphasis on preparation and set up. Because of ongoing heat management, my attention was split between fussing with the grill and painting Choosing a place to set up is trickier too because the need for a level surface is more restrictive than popping up a tripod easel. Time spent to prepare paint is about equal, melting tins of medium and paint runs about 10-15 minutes (loose foil over the stove helps speed this up).

To track fuel, use a Sharpie to log the date and duration of use on each canister, and always pack a few spares of butane/ propane to avoid running out

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While the paint is coming up to temperature, warm brushes and keep them in contact with the plate or they will sti en quickly in the open air.

Get your substrates in place and set up a fusing station in a spot free from wind and with shade or dark background so you have a better chance of seeing the ame.

And when painting, keep a constant eye on the surface thermometer to prevent the paint from cooking. If it runs too hot, adjust spacers and continue to monitor.

Over the past year, I have gained better control over managing the technical bits and now most of my attention has shifted to painting.

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Painting Experience I’m accustomed to the feel and logic of wet-on-wet oils outdoors. I also have a feel for molten wax indoors. In contrast, my hot wax brushwork had a hit-and-stick feel in the open air, particularly in cool weather or breeze when the wax and brushes seized up quickly. (In the summer heat everything was more uid.) I found myself using more medium than usual and learned to keep brushes in direct contact with the plate to keep them workable. Hake brushes seem to hold heat best. I relied on building thin layers and making adjacent marks to develop my paintings, much like working with soft pastels. This surprised me, but when I went into my “pastel brain” habits, I made progress.

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Plein air wax has its advantages! It’s always good to have a snack on hand when painting outside, with a camp stove you can enjoy a hot snack or drink Cleanup is more creative too with small sheets of rice paper on hand to make monotypes with unused wax to use later for collages. When packing up, paintings are dry and easy to manage On the dark side, outdoor painting attracts insects that like to dive into paint, especially warm colors. Sometimes they drag themselves out, but it’s not so easy with wax. And sadly, the hot griddle is not so kind to curious insects. If they happen to land in your painting you can remove them immediately or sort it out later. Wax is forgiving.

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My grand plans for a spring road trip were foiled by the coronavirus pandemic, and I’m still looking forward to an iconic sunny winter day with long blue shadows. I am eager to continue my plein air adventure with wax to see where it leads and how it will a ect my studio work.

I thank my studio mates and fellow IEA members, Maureen Church and Anne McCune, and the Genesee Valley Plein Air Painters, for painting with me and o ering feedback. I especially thank IEA for the opportunity to pursue this project and welcome contact from anyone who would like to know more About the Autho Phyllis Bryce Ely earned her BFA in painting and printmaking from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1981. She paints en plein air and in the studio and is regarded for her landscapes and depictions of upstate New York, Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes region, and her travels.

She paints primarily in oil, encaustic wax, and oil with cold wax medium.

You can view Phyllis’ work a www.phyllisbryceely.com www.facebook.com/phyllis.ely www.instagram.com/pbryceely Erie Canal Pittsford Encaustic 10 x 8 in

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Plein air painting is an inspiring and humbling practice that connects artists to nature. I nd it is always worth the e ort to head outdoors to see what happens

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Encaustic Wet Shellac Burns Paul Kline I was invited to participate in a 2021 Encaustic Exhibition at Texas A&M University, and the curator speci cally requested an encaustic wet shellac burn. Years ago, I worked almost solely with this technique, but no longer had any works. I decide it was time to pull out my materials and create a new work for the exhibition.

For brevity, I have listed the steps I went through to create the painting, Genie.

I nd that the best supports for shellac burns are Ampersand Encausticbords. On a 16” X 20” cradled panel, I applied 8 layers of encaustic medium, fusing each layer as I progressed. I wasn’t concerned about the medium being even and level since the shellac will burn into the surface. A slightly uneven surface sometime provides good webbing

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I recommend that wet shellac burns be done outside in an open area, where there is little chance of a breeze or other wind movements. You want to avoid any air movement that might turn the ames toward you or create another chance of burning something else.

It is possible to do burns indoors, where there is proper ventilation and the surfaces are non ammable such as metal, concrete, or re-retardant materials On our patio, I placed the prepared panel on a thin sheet of aluminum. I laid out all the materials I needed for the wet shellac burn. What are not visible are my re extinguisher and respirator

Materials List 1 – 16” X 20” Ampersand Encausticbord 1 – 30” X 30” aluminum shee Can of Amber Shella Screwdrive Encaustic mediu Paper towels and rag Aluminum shee Lighte Fire extinguishe Mica powder Respirator and/or protective glasse

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I prefer pouring the shellac directly from the can onto the prepared panel, usually covering the board one section at a time You can also apply the shellac with a brush or by dabbing shellac onto the panel with a rag or paper towels or a combination of these For a wet shellac burn, I ignite the shellac almost immediately after pouring it on the painting surface.

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Wet shellac burns can be di cult to control. I generally allow the shellac to burn out on its own, which creates random patterns or cells in the melted encaustic medium. If there are small pockets of re near the end of the burn, I simply blow them out I worked in sections and saw an image begin to form in the patterning. I admit that I do not always achieve an image e ect with just one burn. Often, I need to repeat burns on top of tacky burns, or repeatedly go over burned areas with a torch to create an image or area of interest A detail view of this wet shellac burn is also featured on the front cover.

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Final burn for Genie

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Genie Encaustic, wet shellac, and mica powders on cradled board 20 x 16 in

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If you want to add color, there are di erent materials to experiment with – dry pigments, alcohol inks, graphite, and my favorite, mica powders.

Mica powders are a ne powder, most often used in glass blowing and in cosmetic eyeshadows. Many colors have a strong re ective quality that can shimmer under bright lights.

The powder can be tricky to work with since it is so ne.

A wind, even a sneeze, can blow the powder away.

As I placed the powder on the burned panel, I used a heat gun to fuse it into the shellac and encaustic medium When I am satis ed that a painting is nished, I use a soft sable brush to lightly dust the surface to remove any loose powder.

Next, I allow the painting to lie at for 2 to 3 days until the surface is set and dry to the touch. After 2 or 3 weeks of drying, the painting is ready for framing What I love most about wet shellac burns is the lack of control and the random patterning that is created. With this work, I wanted to suggest a Genie coming out of its bottle in a golden mist

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A Brief Introduction to Shellac Commercially, there are two types of shellac one can buy: clear shellac and amber shellac, which is darker in tone. And there are 4 techniques that can be used for shellac burns: Wet, Tacky, Dry, and Combination

Wet Shellac Burn For a wet shellac burn, one lights the shellac before there is any chance of the shellac setting up. When lighted, there will be a swoosh of ames perhaps 2 or 3 feet tall that melts the shellac into the encaustic medium, creating random patterns or cells as the ames subside

Tacky Shellac Burn With a tacky shellac burn, allow the shellac to dry partially becoming tacky to the touch. With this burn, it is probably not possible for ames to appear. Instead, a hot ame such as torch will melt the shellac into the encaustic medium, allowing for patterning to develop, which is less intense than a wet burn.

Dry Shellac Burn For a dry shellac burn, the shellac applied to the painting surface sets and is no longer tacky to the touch. Again, a torch is used to create smaller, lighter patterns on the painting surface. The patterns created will be less random, and this technique is often used when one wants to create a light, soft pattern e ect, e.g., creating the e ect of oating clouds

Combination Burn Combining two or more of the burns listed above

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Empyrean Isle Encaustic, wet shellac, and mica powders on cradled board 24 x 24 in

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The Song of God Encaustic, wet shellac, and mica powders on cradled board 24 x 24 in

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Paul Kline is a non-objective abstract painter. He started painting and drawing at the age of 5, and he comes from an artistic family.

As a young child, he only wanted to become an artist In 1975, Paul Kline earned a master’s degree in art history and studio art, having studied with Emery Bopp who was a student of Josef Albers at Yale University. Throughout the ‘70s and 80s, he taught painting and art history in California, exhibited his work extensively, and juried many exhibitions in the Santa Barbara area.

From 1980 – 1983, he was a Fulbright Scholar to Poland, where he taught and completed research for his doctoral degree in art history.

In 2000, Paul relocated to Manhattan, where he was the Executive Assistant to Thomas Krens at the Guggenheim Museum Paul has taught studio arts and art history for more than 40 years. A major component when he paints is the physicality and action of painting that allows him to be expressive. Paul finds a painting develops, much like a dance, from one action to the next and the next and so on Paul is represented by Design Art Concepts in Miami, FL, and by the Cortile Gallery in Provincetown, MA. He and his spouse have retired to Savannah, GA, with their standard poodle and tabby cat.

You can view Paul’s work a www.paulklineart.com www.faceartnet.com/253-paul-kline www.saatchiart.com/account/artworks/889098 www.singulart.com/en/artist/paul-kline-24879?/campaign_id=1044 www.instagram.com/paulklineart You can view Texas A&M University’s Wax Applications a pride.tamuc.edu/art/events/wax-applications/ youtu.be/htlbYZUptLM

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About the Autho

Out on the Edge Leah Merriman I want the phrase “out on the edge” as an artist to mean I feel trendy, con dent, and maybe teetering on the brink of feeling successful.

But the reality of this past year has given new light to that phrase and has me feeling like the frazzled and alarmed character illustrated on the cover of Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends.

Here I am, desperately hanging onto the edge of what used to be my reality, my beloved concrete slab, the last remnants of a familiar world, staring down into the unknown abyss where I used to go to make my art.

For the last 12 months, due to health reasons, my family and I have been quarantining in our home. That’s one year in seclusion with my wonderful, yet also lazy and neurotic husband My second-grade daughter shares my studio space as her dual virtual classroom, which puts restraints on when I can actually work on certain stages and techniques in my encaustic painting process. It’s put a di erent twist on how and when I am able to work. Her school schedule changes day-to-day and between that and a very demanding, busy and somewhat lonely 3-yearold brother constantly challenging my patience and sanity, I have had no way of having any kind of consistent work ow

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Lemp Mansion Encaustic, oil, oil pastel, ink, vellum, shellac, pigment on wood 12 x 10 x 1 in

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I’ve had no shortage of ideas, so my lack of production cannot be blamed on that.

It’s not creative block, as much as production avoidance. I know creative block; I’ve had it in the past as many artists do I’ve dealt with depression and the ebb and ow of productivity that occurs when the train tracks of emotion become more of a roller coaster ride than a smooth, relaxing murder on the Orient Express.

But the challenges in creative productivity this year have honestly been monumental to anything I have experienced previously. My grief has felt physically paralyzing.

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Smoke and Snow Encaustic, oil, oil pastel, charcoal, ink, vellum, shellac on wood 5.5 x 21 x 1 in

I’ve come to realize in these last months that I’ve produced my favorite body of works so far when I am happy. When I feel good, I feel mobilized and self-motivated.

However, I could be absolutely wrong. It might be that I’m not a “happy artist” after all, just a “happy to be alone every once in a while” mom artist. If given a chance, meaning any amount of time alone, maybe I could in fact produce brilliant work during this time.

I’m an introvert, I’m a Virgo, and I need self-restoration desperately and during these times there just hasn’t been any.

I need some sense of calm and order to be able to progress forward in my work and the lack of that structure over this past year has left me a bit lost.

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The Turkish Pavilion Encaustic, ink, vellum, oil, oil pastel on wood 5.5 x 11 x 1 in

I’ve read countless articles on the physiology of artists’ brains, and how severe anxiety and stress can “turn o ” the creative parts of our brains in order to utilize the “ ght or ight” response more readily.

I’ve read that during the pandemic, artists have felt aimless in their creativity with so many work-related projects and events put on hold or canceled.

Being a visual artist is a way of revealing one’s inner self to others, and that’s di cult for anyone in any profession.

Exposing yourself makes you raw and vulnerable. To put that emotion on display next to the upheaval in the current world, it can seem extremely trivial and irrelevant.

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But I have hope. Because out here on the edge, I also see spring, warmer weather, and vaccinations on the horizon.

I have hope that my kids will get to go to school this fall, hope that a bit of alone time for self-care will come back into the picture. I hope that I will be able to push through the excuses currently lining my days and repel back down into the creative zone, where I can keep my attention on my process and goals: Where I am happiest, instead of just hanging out here on the edge wishing I could get my head in the game again Hopefully, sooner than later, the phrase “out on the edge” will have an entirely new context in my studio

Snow Day Encaustic, oil, oil pastel, ink, vellum, shellac on wood 5.5 x 11 x 1 in

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Floral Skies Encaustic, oil, oil pastel, ink, vellum, shellac, pigment, gold leaf on wood 11 x 5.5 x 1 in

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About My Proces I don’t often use gesso in my work. I know it uses more medium as the substrate soaks it in, and I know it can cause issues with bubbles as I’m building up a piece, but I love being able to see the wood grain through my pieces.

While art is man-made, it’s always enabled by nature and that connection is very important to me. I like to be reminded of it, even when it’s being reflected behind an urban sky I usually begin a piece with clear encaustic medium, and from there I’ll build up the sky by adding and fusing in layers of colored medium, shellac burns, dry pigment powders, and oil pastels

Meet Me In the Rose Garden Encaustic, oil, oil pastel, ink, vellum, shellac, pigment, gold leaf on wood 5.5 x 11 x 1 in

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I illustrate the painting’s scenery with ink on vellum, which I then soak in the hot medium until it’s fully absorbed the wax but before it falls apart. Then I cut out the scenes and layer them in my painting according to their correlating depth in the nal piece. As I build up each layer, I add in permanent and gel inks, oil pastels, dry pigments, and metal lea ng to add and highlight details.

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Mississippi Sunset Encaustic, oil, oil pastel, ink, vellum, shellac, pigment, gold leaf on wood 5.5 x 11 x 1 in

Sometimes a piece is completely smooth once nished, and sometimes I leave a lot of texture on the top layers. It all depends on what I’m painting

For Mrs. Fasterling Encaustic, oil, oil pastel, ink, vellum, shellac on wood 10 x 12 x 1 in

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Bevo Mill (We’re All Immigrants) Encaustic, oil, oil pastel, ink, vellum, shellac on wood 24 x 24 x 2 in

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Leah Merriman is a native to St. Louis, working primarily in encaustics to create ethereal, layered abstract landscapes with detailed urban scenery on cradled wood As a teenager, she apprenticed for several years under a wellknown local sculptor and artist, Fontbonne Professor Emeritus Rudy Torrini in his home studio.

Under his guidance she studied sculpture, woodcarving, and illustration Merriman first began playing with encaustics in 2012 after attempting to figure out a way to “paint deeper,” when doing a series of acrylic paintings featuring the depth of the Grand Canyon.

She began showing her works publicly in 2013 and hasn’t quit yet.

She had her first solo show in the Spring of 2019, Familiar Layers: Encaustic Scenes of St. Louis, Part 1, at Third Degree Glass Factory.

She is now a permanent resident artist at Green Door Art Gallery in St. Louis, MO. Merriman currently lives and works out of her in-home studio in town with her husband, two small children, several animals, and a not-so-small army of plants.

You can view Leah’s work a www.stlwaxworks.com www.facebook.com/StLWaxWorks www.instagram.com/stlwaxworks

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About the Autho

Edge of Day Encaustic, oil, watercolor on Encausticbord 10 x 10 x 1 in

Edge of Day is also featured on the back cover.

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Edge of Day Regina B Quinn The radiant edges of day, veiled in mystery, quiet like a held breath yet energized by the tensions between shifting darkness and light these are the inspirations for my work.

Rooted in my sense of awe and deep connection to the natural world, my paintings are an expression of my love and sense of stewardship for the fragile balance that allows life to exist and thrive on this planet Frequently featuring the northern landscape at the edges of day and rarely based on any speci c location, my paintings are syntheses of my experiences, observations, and imperfectly recalled memories While abstracted landscapes are, on one level, the theme of my paintings, I think of my work more as an invitation to viewers to stay closely connected to the natural world and thus, to all living things and to one another Each day as I paint, I challenge myself to try new things, to experiment, to continue to explore, and to grow. This entails practice combined with the willingness to abandon the direction I set out on with a painting.

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It also means being willing to destroy a piece that may seem “good” or “done”—one with which I have a certain level of contentment, but that somehow doesn’t kindle within me a desire to try to penetrate it to comprehend something unknown or that doesn’t fully resonate with the intensity of my experiences in the natural world.

It is almost as if a painting is not resolved until it leaves something quite unresolved.

While encaustics are naturally luminous, I’ve been on a quest to create work that feels imbued with light, almost as if the paintings are lit from within

October Morning Encaustic, oil, watercolor on Encausticbord 11 x 14 x 1.75 in

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Beginning with watercolors on a gessoed panel, I build transparent and opaque encaustic layers, carving and scratching into them with blades and knives creating depth and texture Next, I apply oils mixed with beeswax, typically R&F Paints Pigment Sticks, enhancing texture and luminosity.

Layering, carving, scraping, and incising allow earlier layers to emerge, much the way geological and weathering processes obscure and expose, and as visual memories come into focus even as they fade away

Winter Morning Encaustic, oil, watercolor on Encausticbord 6.5 x 7.75 x 1.5 in

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That journey of experimentation and discovery in search of luminosity has led me to work almost exclusively with encaustics and oils with beeswax over watercolor

The Faber Birren 2020 National Color Award Juror, Sean O'Hanlan, Research Associate in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, wrote “The Faber Birren Color Award goes to Regina Quinn for the quiet vibrance of her Wetland at Dusk. In a present moment in which so much of our consumption of images — in various forms of isolation — is de ned by the mediated sheen of digital screens, her masterful use of encaustic with oils and beeswax imbues her panel painting with an ambient life. The evening’s nal hints of light seem to shift before the viewer’s eye; quite literally layered, periwinkle, umber and marigold break through with striking e ect to illuminate what appears at rst glance to be a subdued palette, dominated by deep greens of the darkening coastline.”

Wetland at Dusk Encaustic, oil, watercolor on Encausticbord 11 x 14 x 1.75 in

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Winter Dusk Encaustic, oil, watercolor, gesso on wood panel 8 x 8 x 1.5 in

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After nearly 3 decades in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, Regina now lives in New York’s Northern Catskills. Although she is a New York City native, she has spent most of her adult life in the northern mountains which are a continuous source of inspiration for her work Regina’s art career encompasses painting, photography, ceramics, printmaking, and theatrical painting. About 8 years ago, she was drawn to encaustics by their luminosity and subtlety, and once she started working in wax, she knew that encaustic was her medium—one that could give voice to her aesthetic, sensibility, and quiet personality Regina holds a Special Studies in Fine Arts degree from Trinity College where she received the Peyser Art Award, rst prize, and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Vermont. Her work has been displayed in galleries, art centers, and museums across the country.

She has received several awards for her work, including the 2020 Faber Birren National Color Award Gallery representation is by Gagne Contemporary www.1stdibs.com/search/art/?q=regina%20quinn You can view Regina’s work a www.ReginaBQuinn.net www.facebook.com/reginabernadette.quinn.5 www.instagram.com/ginabq

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About the Autho

On the Edge of Change Heidi Rufeh

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Voyagers Encaustic 16 x 32 x 3 in

While traveling in Baja, Mexico, I was taken by the immense colors of a festival there. People in costumes and parades through the town were impressive and overwhelming

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When I returned home, I tried to capture my experience. I started out playing with motion; moving paint from one side to the other. Then I added people’s faces.

Then another idea popped into my head.

People need to connect with each other for whatever reasons they may have with no obstacles or walls in the way.

Suddenly, I was re ecting on my life as I had left Berlin after the wall bisected the city. The expressions of movement with people in the painting took on a more serious purpose that I was not prepared at rst to explore. How loved ones are left behind because of a restricted life with less freedom or means to survive. And abruptly “Voyagers” took on a new meaning Growing up in the chaos of a divided city and the Cold War has greatly in uenced my art. I grew up in West Berlin, and as I entered adulthood, I became more aware of the restrictive nature of the then divided city. The impact of the division of East and West was always apparent and weighed heavily on us This caused young people to move away to West Germany to live a less restrictive life. The city was left with more and more older people who stayed. The situation worsened as the wall was erected in 1961 and totally divided the city. That sti ed life on both sides and communication with people almost came to a halt.

The Cold War intensi ed and in the East mail was opened and read, phones were tapped, and people were forced to attend Communist party meetings in apartment blocks. If they did not appear and support the system, they were in great danger of being blacklisted

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All Eyes on You Encaustic 10 x 10 x 1 in

The consequences were harsh for people who rebelled or demonstrated. They were imprisoned and were forever changed

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People were eeing the East risking their lives with many shot as they attempted it This had an enormous impact on me. I felt terribly constrained and decided to look into opportunities to experience freedom.

Therefore, I took the decisive step to move to the United States and began to take classes at Harvard University Soon after I heard that a cousin of mine living in East Berlin working in a family restaurant was able to get real co ee from the West that was not available in the East. His best friend informed the authorities of what was going on, and he was arrested and served a long time in prison. My aunt then ed to West Germany; nobody in the family felt safe anymore In America, I found out what it was like to be free. For the rst time in my life I was able to do what I wanted, and when I wanted with only my conscience to guide me. Traveling freely around the States with no restrictive borders closing around me made me understand what freedom really means But we should never take that freedom for granted This past year, we have all faced restrictions and had our lives threatened by the pandemic, wild res, hurricanes, winter storms, and political unrest We are living on the edge of change and our actions will help decide our future

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Phoenix Rising III Encaustic 24 x 24 x 2 in

“Phoenix Rising III” expresses the joy and exuberance of my new found freedom.

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Man With All The Answers Encaustic 24 x 24 x 2 in

He manipulates the truth for his own gain, and his lies become “truths” — and the more the lies are repeated the more believable they become to himself and others.

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Looking for Change Encaustic 30 x 30 x 2 in

Among the struggle, destruction, and death, he dreams of a brighter future - one lled with light, hope, and change. And he needs “YOU” to share this dream.

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Pensive III Encaustic 12 x 12 x 3 in

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About the Autho In 1963, I moved to the United States and began to take classes at Harvard University. I met my future husband who had immigrated from Iran. We married, had two children, and became citizens My interest in the arts led me to study at the De Cordova Museum school, the Massachusetts College of Art, and later at the Art Institute of Boston. That was followed by exhibiting in New England, New York, and Berlin In 1994, we moved to San Diego where I presently reside.

Living in California induced my color pallet to become much more vibrant and bolder Growing up in the chaos of a divided city and the Cold War has greatly in uenced my art. I now focus on the human condition, social con icts, and climate change while steadfastly maintaining a passion for life You can view Heide’s work a www.heidirufeh.com Photos by Peter Fa For information about Peter Fay Photography, go to www.Peterfay.com

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Portrait of an ordinary couple together weathering the ups and downs of life. His demeanor shows self reliance, she looks rather pensive as if there is something on her mind.

They are together, but they allow each other’s life to ourish.

She knows that she can depend on him, and he knows that there is a strong woman at his side. They are one unit that has grown together; neither one can do without the other

Without Restraint Adrienne Circelli-Silversmith Being a person that does not want to conform or be predictable has its disadvantages in the art world.

For one, it’s di cult for me to paint a cohesive series because I’m always looking to experiment and try new things, which can make nding a gallery di cult: Galleries prefer to associate with artists that can deliver those “themed” paintings. Needless to say, I am not represented by any galleries

To me the true meaning of being an artist is to be able to explore, experiment, and create work that is meaningful to oneself without restraints.

For the longest time, I thought this was a negative, a character fault. Usually I have several paintings going at the same time in di erent mediums, subject matter, and stages of development One advantage of this process is when I get stuck on one painting I move to another. This allows me to get some distance (literally) and solve the problem mentally and then come back with a fresh eye.

I also do this when I sense I’m about to overwork and ruin a perfectly good painting. When I feel this happening I force myself to put down the brush and walk away.

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Wave Encaustic 4 x 4 x 2 in

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Example of “flattened accretion”

Caged Encaustic mixed media 10 x 10 x 1.5 in

My paintings could never be described as “pretty little pictures." They have always re ected my emotions, my circumstances, and my feelings.

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My senior project in art school was based on the emotional e ects of my divorce. In some of my encaustic pieces, I’ve added shredded pieces of my divorce decree Love Poems and Divorce Decrees Encaustic, found objects 12 x 12 x 1.5 in

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Example of “flattened accretion”

Frozen Encaustic 10 x 10 x 1.5 in

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During quarantine, I created an encaustic series called Visceral.

These works express my emotions and feelings while being in shutdown.

While creating the Visceral series, I developed two techniques.

One technique I refer to as “ attened accretion.”

Di erent colors embedded with papers and other objects are used to develop the base layers. When enough layers are developed I start “dry brushing” the surface which creates texture called “accretion”. I then scrap the surface and fuse with an iron to “ atten” the top layer so that it is somewhat smooth. With this technique, the texture becomes more “implied” rather than having any surface texture.

Since encaustics can be very translucent, the nal product gives the sense of looking through layers of ice as in a frozen pond. You can see through to the deeper levels, showing di erent colors, patterns, and embedded objects Caged and Frozen are examples of “ attened accretion.

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Top layers are repeatedly built up and slightly scraped down, thereby allowing ridges and crevices to develop. Di erent colors may be added to the top layer or incised which creates more character to the surface layer. In this technique the texture is palpable. This construct/destruct method looks something similar to the type of erosion that is created by water when it carves its way through the earth Floating and Forgotten are examples of “deconstructed accretion.

Recently a fellow artist visited my studio. When she looked around at my artwork she commented about the many techniques and styles I'd mastered and how talented I was. I don't think she was aware of how her comment a ected me, how it changed my perception of myself and my artistic abilities.

Success for an artist is often measured by solo and museum exhibitions, being held in collections, and gallery representation. Artists who haven't achieved those goals often nd it hard to know how their art is perceived by other artists.

Or how to measure success Her comment reminded me that the true meaning of being an artist is to be able to explore, experiment, and create work that is meaningful to oneself without restraints And I felt validated

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The second technique, “deconstructed accretion” is similar in that dry brushing is used to build up texture.

Example of “deconstructed accretion”

Floating Encaustic, found objects 10 x 10 x 1.5 in

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Example of “deconstructed accretion”

Forgotten Encaustic, found objects 10 x 10 x 1.5 in

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Adrienne Circelli-Silversmith is a contemporary artist who works in oils, encaustics, and mixed media. Her subject matter includes gurative, landscapes, abstracts, and anything else that draws her interest.

She graduated from New Hampshire Institute of Art in 2011, with a BFA in painting at the age of 54 Before studying art, Adrienne received a Master of Science in nursing (MSN) and, as a RN, worked in the ICU with trauma victims, critical medical illness, and post-open heart surgery patients. She also taught nursing at a local college Adrienne lives in the beautiful coastal New England city of Newburyport, is active in the Newburyport arts community, is on the Local Cultural Council (Ma), and a member and volunteer of the Newburyport Artist Association.

She has a wonderful studio in an old mill building that once made horse drawn carriages You can view Adrienne’s work a asfineart.net www.facebook.com/asfineart.net www.instagram.com/adriennefineart

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About the Autho

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 of 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 Isabelle Gabori Sally Hootnic JuliAnne Jonke Deni Karpowic Birgit Kentra Lyn Kirklan

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

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/JoinIEA .

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Exhibitions (re)BUILDING Atlantic Gallery 2021 Juried Exhibition Atlantic Gallery 548 W 28th Street, Suite 540, New York, NY 10001 Deadline for Entries: June 1, 2021. For more information and full prospectus, go to atlanticgallery.org/rebuilding/ Exhibition Dates: July 13 - 31, 2021 Juror: Jerry McLaughlin, painter, awardwinning author, and co-founder of Cold Wax Academ This past year art has been a refuge for many, a challenge for others; yet, creativity prevails as we weather the ongoing storm. Atlantic Gallery is seeking works from this past year (2020-21) that inspire and embrace, the spirit of rebuilding, renewal, and resiliency. Submitted artwork must utilize wax, whether in the form of cold wax, encaustic, or both, in two-dimensional or three-dimensional works.

A printed full-color catalog will be provided to each accepted artist.

One artist will be chosen by juror, Jerry McLaughlin, for the grandprize of a weeklong solo show at Atlantic Gallery at a later date

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Metamorphosis A National Juried Exhibition in Partnership with International Encaustic Artists at Tubac Center of the Arts Tubac Center of the Arts 9 Plaza Road, Tubac, AZ 85646 Deadline for Entries: August 2, 2021. For more information and to apply, go to tubacarts.org/exhibit-submissions Exhibition Dates: October 1 - November 14, 2021 Jurors: Lisa Pressman and Susan Stove International Encaustic Artists members will receive a discount on application fees.

Lisa Pressman

Awards totaling $1,200 will be selected and presented by the jurors.

Tubac Center of the Arts will also host an exhibit of the artwork by jurors, Susan Stover and Lisa Pressman, concurrently with the “Metamorphosis” exhibit.

Susan Stover

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Workshops Advanced Encaustic Layers of Meaning Lisa Pressman and Susan Stover Tubac School of Fine Art 4 Calle Iglesias D-6, Tubac, AZ 85646 Cost: $750 - IEA members will be o ered early-bird registration Level: Intermediate/advance October 2 - 4, 202 For more information, visit tubacschooloffineart.org Techniques to include processes such as gestural markmaking, image transfer, pigment sticks, embellishment, stenciling, glazing, layering and depth, transparency and opacity, repetition, and pattern. Topics of discussion and slide presentations to focus on personal meaning and cultivating a student’s own visual language.

This workshop includes a private session with both Lisa and Sue in the weeks before class starts to clarify each student’s direction and ideas about the class.

Excavating Light Lisa Pressman Oil on panel print 10 x 10 in Undulations 2 Susan Stover Cardboard, latex, acrylic, waxed linen thread 46 x 72 in

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Online Workshops Painting with Fire Cost: Over 50 plus hours for $24 Classes start on April 30, 202 To learn more and register, go to https://tinyurl.com/27jy7hg0

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I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over.

Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center.

Kurt Vonnegu

A digital publication of International-Encaustic-Artists.org

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Spring, Issue IV:2021 Out on the Edge

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