Copyright © 2023 by Lyn Belisle and Michelle Belto for The Enso Circle. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher and the artists whose works are included except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing, 2023
The Enso Circle
An invitational online Artists’ Residency
Created and led by Michelle Belto and Lyn Belisle
theensocircle.com
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The Enso circle symbolizes many things: the beauty in imperfection, the art of letting go of expectations, the circle of life, and connection-- the imperfections and contours are exactly what makes the Enso beautiful.
INTRODUCTION: THE ENSO CIRCLE
We initiated the first Enso Circle in March of 2021, only a few weeks after the historic Texas winter storm that shut down our city and decimated flora across the state. Against that backdrop, we accepted the first twelve artists in The Enso Circle Residency, who having been isolated in their Covid studios, bravely stepped into a new virtual world, coming together as artists. What a difference two years make!
This year Spring arrived in South Texas with a welcome downpour of rain that, although not enough to wipe out the effects of a three-year drought, filled our gardens with a profusion of vegetables and flowers. What a difference twelve weeks make!
A similar feeling of abundance has marked this sixth term of the Enso Circle. Twelve weeks of creative collaboration here in this virtual community have yielded friendships and astounding artwork, but the art you see in this exhibition catalog is only a fragment of what has been created this term. We’ve seen how art can renew hope against a backdrop of hardship and isolation. We’ve witnessed personal and professional growth that affirms our belief that becoming a better and more confident artist happens best in a supportive community of other artists.
As we come to the end of another term, we are thankful for these residents who have accepted our invitation and braved a new way across time zones and countries to create a vibrant and inspired community. Through art and the warmth of human connection, we’ve seen the difference that the community makes.
Michelle Belto
Co-Founder, The Enso Circle
June 18, 2023
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Sometimes, you just get lucky. Call it serendipity, grace, or good fortune, when it happens, you feel incredibly blessed. When it happens six times, something exceptional is going on that’s beyond luck or wishing. That’s how I feel about this Sixth Term of The Enso Circle.
These twelve artists, whose artwork you can view in this exhibition catalog, came together to commit twelve weeks to a program they joined through instinct and intuition. This is the sixth such gathering, and I am amazed that Michelle and I could be fortunate enough feel the same collective magic that has happened since early 2021.
The artists in this Sixth-Term group are perhaps the most media-diverse of any previous Enso Circle Residents – fiber, glass, ceramics, mosaics, collage, assemblage, oil painting, printmaking – and they are also among the most experimental. They have been quick to ask each other for advice and quicker to respond. Their own words confirm the authenticity of their journey.
I came into this residency with such self-doubt, I was not sure I had made the right decision in participating. I come out of this residency with a sense of peace knowing I am capable of producing art that I am proud of. As much of an incredible learning experience this was for me, it was also a journey of self discovery for me.
What would it take to accept myself as an artist? The definition of art: the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects. So for all of us who struggle with embracing the label - this makes it seem achievable! Create on sisters!
Delightful, serious, and adventurous, these artists embody a spirit of generosity and empathy towards their fellow residents. As individuals and as a collective, this group has been truly exceptional. I extend my profound gratitude to each of them for entrusting the process that led them here and gracing us with their presence.
Lyn Belisle
Co-Founder, The Enso Circle
June 20, 2023
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WHAT IS THE ENSO CIRCLE?
The Enso Circle is an invitational art residency, a dedicated three-month time period in which Residents join a community of creators for a specific self-chosen goal that is unique. The online residency provides the comprehensive artistic support that allows artists to focus and strengthen their work.
Those who are accepted have access to workshop sessions, a private online library of resources, regular Zoom critiques and group discussions, and presentations with guest artists. During the three months there will be opportunities to share work in process, troubleshoot stuck points, get positive and supportive feedback, and meet one on one with Lyn and/or Michelle. The residency culminates in a shared online exhibition and catalogue.
WHO IS THIS COMMUNITY FOR?
Artists who are ready to focus on a conceptual goal in their studio practice through flexible structure. A goal might be a social theme, an exploration of media, a series of work that analyzes personal struggles or celebrates overcoming difficulty.
It’s also a space for those who feel stuck, who may need the externally imposed order of a community of creative colleagues, and who value the exponential wisdom of the group.
Finally . . . .
If you feel the need for a balanced experience that encourages both personal creative time and guided encouragement from like-minded working artists, you will find a home in the Enso Circle with Lyn Belisle, Michelle Belto, and your fellow art Residents.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.THEENSOCIRCLE.COM
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CURRENT ENSO CIRCLE RESIDENTS
CAROLYN ADAMS
BARB CONE
SANDRA CURRIE
RACHEL DE ALMEIDA
JASMINE DENNIS
MAGGIE FITCH
KAREN MURPHY
MARGUERITE MOREAU MCCARTHY
MARJ NARDI
NADINE RUSINEK-BLOOMFIELD
PAMELA STRATTON
KATHY UTTS
TEXAS
MASSACHUSETTS
TEXAS
MAINE
TEXAS TEXAS
TEXAS
SOUTH CAROLINA
TEXAS
KANSAS
ONTARIO
MASSACHUSETTS
TEXAS
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About the Artist & the Work
CAROLYN ADAMS
The series “Oracles” reflects the relationship between two women who use the “art that seeks to discover hidden knowledge.” Each piece stands on its own but together “The Messenger” and “Fire Mother” symbolize strength through mutual love, empathy, and support.
Each piece stands on its own, but together “The Messenger” and “Fire Mother” Each piece stands on its own but together “The Messenger” and “Fire Mother” symbolize strength through mutual love, empathy, and support.
“Oracles” has opened up new possibilities for my artistic and spiritual journey. Adding mixed media to figurative clay pieces has been intriguing and challenging, and I believe this new path will open up exciting opportunities to incorporate my spiritual life into my visual storytelling.
ORACLES
Organic materials, clay, underglaze, glaze, plaster, textiles, beads, paper, metals, personal objects
24” x 18”
Text from Iris Oracle Deck, Mary Elizabeth Evans, with gratitude.
$800
Work #2 FIRE MOTHER
Organic materials, clay, underglaze, glaze, plaster, textiles, beads, paper, metals
12” x 18”
“Her ability to give her love and her colors never leave her.” “Nothing truly belongs to her.”
$400
Work #3 THE MESSENGER
Organic materials, clay, underglaze, glaze, plaster, textiles, beads, paper, metals, personal objects
14” x 17”
“When you were born into this body, your spirit had so much to say about all that it knows and has seen. Now, you have the ability to help it speak.”
$400
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About the Artist & the Work
BARB CONE
Demolition (triptych), 2023.
I have been interested in the deconstruction, demolition or breakdown of geometic shapes for some time. Sometimes the final work is threedimensional or sculptural, sometimes two-dimensional or what I might refer to as a “shattered drawing.”
The Gaps I Mean
I’ve been building and carving into layers of wax-based paint (“encaustic”), using painters’ tape to both resist mark-making and add fine detail. The layers build from base to top. Sometimes the layers are rough and bumpy, other times smooth and reflective, depending on how much heat is applied to the surface of the wax.
Veranda
I’ve been using a similar technique for “Veranda,” building and carving into layers of wax-based paint (“encaustic”), using painters’ tape to both resist mark-making and add fine detail. The layers build from base to top. Sometimes the layers are rough and bumpy, other times smooth and reflective, depending on how much heat is applied. The Gaps I Mean comes from the poem Mending Wall by Robert Frost in which he examines the ritual of re-building stone walls dividing his property from his neighbor ’s in the Spring.
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The Gaps I Mean
Wax-based paint (“encaustic”) on cradled birch panel.
36”H x 36”W x1.5”D
$4500
Demolition (triptych)
Cradled panels with gesso, encaustic medium, graphite and oil stick.
10”H x 32”W x .5”D
Veranda
Wax-based paint (“encaustic”) on cradled birch panel.
36”H x 36”W x1.5”D
$4500
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About the Artist & the Work
SANDRA CURRIE
Silence is precious inspired by my late husband, he was an equine veterinarian, very savy horseman and never complained about his work hours. He was one on one with his clients and friends, treated people and horses like he would like to be treated.
He used silence in so many ways, communication and respect. I learned the power of silence from him.
The hand photo in Work #1 is Doc and Fred Whitfield, world champion rodeo cowboy, client but better friends, one month before he passed. Fred and Doc would just sit, talk a little but enjoy the company. Doc had world-wide respect but because he was so humble and actually listened to your problems.
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Work #1
Silence is precious inspired by my late husband, who made silence a class act.
9” X 4 ‘ mixed media on 100 year old reclaimed wood with wax and artifacts, power of the message
NOT FOR SALE
Work #3
Spirit doll “healing for a friend” spirit doll - leather, sticks, cedar beads, st christopher, found items
12 “ tall on a drift wood
NOT FOR SALE
Work #2
Picking up chicks inspired by precious child that has a special communication with animals
12’ x 16” mixed media, photo collage with found items
NOT FOR SALE
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About the Artist & the Work
RACHEL DE ALMEIDA
In this series, Night Swimming (thank you R.E.M.) I am using different mediums and sizes to evoke the physical memories we all hold in our bodies. By using the same basic image and approaching change through mediums, I am exploring all the characteristics of my particular physical memories in hopes that the viewer can “feel” along with me.
When I first heard the song “Night Swimming” by R.E.M., the inspiration for this series it put me in mind of times years ago when we used to go skinny dipping at night in the Long Island Sound. The things that it evoked in me are the sound of the night as the water pushes away from your body, the sensual feel of water on skin, the fragrance of summer. When I am working on this series, I feel, hear, and smell those nights of my youth. The clandestine trips to the beach in the dark, hearing the lapping of the waves, it all comes rushing in. I like to work from emotions, physical feelings as I am guided by Spirit. It brings me into meditation unlike anything else.
I love textiles, color, movement, and pattern. I decided to use the same overall image for each one of this series. This second piece uses shiny and patterned fabrics and embroidery floss to create the feel of my memories and the reflection of the moon on water. It has many layers of patterns, textures, and color. I wanted it to feel very self-contained, so I used multiple fabric borders. Whenever I stitch a piece it is the equivalent of hours of meditation. Slow stitching helps me to calm and focus.
As I moved forward to the third piece in the series, I decided not only to continue with the basic image, I also chose to use textiles once again. This time I wanted a more organic feel with more texture and a bit more primitive. I didn’t use the intricate stitching patterns as much in this one and instead incorporated a Sashiko like stitch in a metallic silver floss. For more texture, I used hand dyed cheesecloth and an extremely shinny silver fabric for the moon’s reflection on the water. Each time I add another piece to this series, I can bring that piece of my history into the present. I am planning to continue with this series using different mediums to portray and enhance the concept of physical memory.
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NIGHT SWIMMING #1 (THANK YOU R.E.M.)
Watercolors, pen and ink, paint pens and collage on watercolor paper.
8.5” X 10.5”
Price: $250
NIGHT SWIMMING #2 (THANK YOU R.E.M.)
17” X 25”
Price: NFS
NIGHT SWIMMING #3 (THANK YOU R.E.M.)
11.5” X 21”
Price: $600
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About the Artist & the Work
JASMINE DENNIS
Nostos Algos, A Return to Pain
Art-making has been a necessary medicine for more than two decades.
What started as therapy has grown into a rich and expansive mixed-media practice. One in which I explore the terrifying, the beautiful, and everything in between.
My creations come from pure experimentation, driven to push my boundaries, question my internal rules, and explore identity in an uninhibited and meditative way. I am often drawn into visual stories through collected objects, color, and the felt experience of texture.
My primary goal during this Enso residency was to deepen my play with wax and oil pigment while developing a daily studio practice. My original intention was to create an encaustic series inspired by my grandmothers; however, once the wings, the snake, and shades of red appeared, I knew I was connecting with my shadow. What presented is a self-portrait assemblage that embraces the pain of disassociation, transformation through grief, and the return to Self.
“There is nothing stronger than a broken woman who has rebuilt herself.”
-Hannah Gadsby
NOSTOS ALGOS, A RETURN TO PAIN
Mixed media assemblage
watercolor, ink, oil pigment, beeswax, ephemera, copper, found objects on wood panels
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10x10 NFS
About the Artist & the Work
MAGGIE FITCH
As a ceramic and multi-media artist, I am interested in portraying such invisible concepts as the marvelous energy within Earth’s consistent pattern of decay and renewal.
The “Dandelion Spirit” piece began with a lithograph print I had previously made showing a minimally outlined face appearing to float above and gaze down upon several stylized dandelions.
A poem expressing the esteem I hold for this plant - commonly regarded as a “weed” - is part of the composition. My reverence for the “weed” is shown by placing the lithograph within an arched frame resembling a church window. This section is placed above the lower one which shows a roughly swirling, energetic pattern alluding to the dense and mysterious depths from which the plant grew.
The three photos here show the whole piece along with two details of the top and bottom sections.
The Poem (in detail top right)
In a world so dense, under a space so light, what mystery inside the seed’s fragility and might?
How deeply rooted, how supremely powered, the invincible splendor of the dandelion flower.
~~ Maggie Fitch, 2023
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DANDELION SPIRIT, DETAIL OF TOP SECTION
DANDELION SPIRIT
Cardboard, lithograph print, oil crayons, acrylic medium and acrylic paints
41” x 26”
$600
DANDELION SPIRIT, DETAIL OF BOTTOM SECTION
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About the Artist & the Work
KAREN MURPHY
The beginning of what would later become a love affair with glass art started at an early age for me when my father taught me to solder. The ability of using heat to transform a solid piece of lead into a liquified form fascinated me.
Learning that the same principle could be applied to glass to manipulate its shape, led me on a journey of discovery into the world of glass fusing.
I explore the integration of technical processes with artistic expression, to create unique and captivating glass sculptures. Incorporation fused glass layers into my designs adds a dimensional quality and visual interest.
My most recent series “Through the Female Face”, is a study of the expressions of female faces and how they might offer a glimpse into the life of these women. With the use of color, composition and various mixed media, I strive to create an interpretive story for the viewer.
I start by stenciling powdered glass onto sheet glass and fire it in a kiln. Firing separate, added layers of glass and composing them into the final piece gives more insight into their lives.
“Numb”
A woman is holding onto the last shred of her former life, a letter. She’s now stuck in circumstances beyond her control that have stripped away any semblance of her former life.
Where she came from and how she got here is in the eyes of the viewer.
“No Apologies”
The friend that’s always fun to be with. She may go overboard on occasion, but you love her all the more for it. Always the life of the party, she makes the most of every day.
You know her.
“I’m Crushed”
Disappointment so deep...tears come down like a waterfall.
We’ve all been her
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NUMB
Multi-layered fused, sandblasted glass wall sculpture
10” x 10”
$350
I’M CRUSHED
Multi-layered fused, sandblasted glass wall sculpture
10” x 10”
$350
NO APOLOGIES
Multi-layered fused glass wall sculpture
10” x 10”
$325
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About the Artist & the Work
Marguerite Moreau McCarthy’s oil paintings celebrate the oftenoverlooked beauty of light, shadow, reflection and refraction seen in commonplace objects. As a painter, she manipulates color, line, and form to echo the symbiotic relationship she observes between the mundane and the divine.
Mothers’ Day Bouquet explores the emotional impact of a gift of flowers through textural layers of paint, embellished with gestural sgraffito drawing. The overlapping patches of color reveal dancing shadows and highlights in this joyful work.
McCarthy invites quiet introspection with Apples and Pitcher, layering richly colored brushstrokes to expose a quiet stillness and reverence for surface qualities of this piece’s elements of fruit, glass, and wood.
In Teatime, the artist interprets the properties of light with casually placed objects on a marble table. Here, she applies thick paint as well as engraved lines to describe variations in hue, intensity, and value in this arrangement.
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MARGUERITE MOREAU MCCARTHY
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MOTHERS’ DAY BOUQUET Oil on panel 11”x14”
$800
APPLES AND PITCHER Oil on canvas 16” x 20”
$1280
TEATIME Oil on panel 16” x 16” $1025
About the Artist & the Work
Becoming lost in creative moments, where time and place fade away and there is only art, is the true joy of creating for me. Art gives my mind a place to rest and soothes my soul; a sanctuary from all the obligations of my daily life. Meaning comes from being present in the experience; the product is secondary - merely an expression of the practice.
MULTI_CULTURAL EXPLORATIONS was inspired by cultural art from around the globe – Kantha and Boro cloth, Aboriginal bark paintings, Huichol Indian yarn art, Native American pottery and Japanese Wabi-Sabi.
TOUCH OF TRIBE explored hand painted fabric and was also inspired by cultural influences.
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MARJ NARDI
MULTI-CULTURAL EXPLORATIONS
Fabric, thread, fiber, natural elements, wire, nuts, beads, paint and markers
17”x26”
TOUCH OF TRIBE
Fabric, thread, fiber, natural elements, beads, paint and markers
11” x 12”
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About the Artist & the Work
Inspired by the Expressive Arts Therapy thesis I am working on, this work explores artographically the notion that acts of creation like art making are uniquely positioned to heal, especially trauma. When we speak of trauma, we sometimes reference the ‘Freeze’ response.
I am emerging from the stuck place, the frozen landscape. In creating these works I moved into flow; quite literally using flowing warm wax to thaw and shape my story. I call this series “At the Intersection of Science and Soul”. I wanted to do a series exploring scientific tropes refracted through an artistic lens.
I look at them in series - like illuminated manuscripts. Jacob’s Ladder, symbolizing ascension, resilience and the spiritual journey, appeared unbidden in both of these works. The ladder represents the divine flow state, healing. Soul lives here, science can’t quantify this power.
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“My Father’s Heart, X-ray on Talit”
Encaustic mixed media: Late father’s linen prayer shawl (Talit) mounted on birch substrate, personal photography, original linocuts, oil pastel, Aquarelle, pan pastel, walnut ink, gold ink and gold leaf. His lab report became a poem, some of which is embedded in the work. Additional Hebrew biblical text.
“Jacob’s Ladder”
Encaustic mixed media on glass and frame: photograph of an original oil painting on rice paper mounted on glass, oil pastel, pan pastel, collage, embedded Hebrew biblical text, gold leaf, Goldfinger. Small reproduction I painted of a Chagall detail in the upper right corner.
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Lamb detail, below
About the Artist & the Work
I have been interested in sculpture for many years, especially the work of Barbara Hepworth, and have taken a few classes in stone carving. In this new work I am using more malleable materials like wax, paper, reed, glass threads, and polystyrene foam.
“Empty Nest” is a cube made from foam core covered in hand made Thai paper and embellished with inks, encaustic wax and transferred images. The window is inlayed with mosaic tesserae made from molten glass that was hand pulled into threads of different sizes. Over the years I have noticed the dramatic decline in the bird population. I fear the coming of the “Silent Spring.” I chose the blue jay to represent the empty nest because I was shocked and saddened to learn that even this common back yard bird is down in population by 36%.
“Weavers” is carved from polystyrene foam that is inlaid with glass threads the colors of natural reed. it is covered in tissue, bark paper and encaustic wax. If the birds can create simple yet beautiful homes in vibrant communities and live in harmony, so can we!
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PAMELA STRATTON
WEAVER
(detail above)
Encaustic wax, bark paper, tissue paper, plaster gauze, glass threads on polystyrene substrate and granite base.
14”x 5”x 5”
NFS
EMPTY NEST
Encaustic medium,Thai paper, plaster gauze, walnut ink, glass threads, tissue papered reed on foam core cube.
22” x 5”x 5”
NFS
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About the Artist & the Work
Kathleen Utts, a fiber artist and Saori weaver, transports us into a realm where cloth becomes art. With a profound respect for the Saori philosophy of self-expression and freedom, Kathleen creates woven artworks that embrace imperfection and celebrate individuality. Through her loom, she weaves colors and textures, and stitches each piece with her signature inclusion of bird symbology. Through intricate manipulation of textiles, she crafts tactile narratives that explore the intersection of artistic expression, beauty, and the human experience. Her artworks are not mere woven garments or tapestries but living reflections of Kathy’s journey, capturing moments of serenity, joy, and contemplation.
This piece entitled, “ON BECOMING” is a departure from Kathy’s usual woven work, expanding her horizon to include storytelling with photos transferred onto silk that peek out through woven windows, and decorative handspun yarn plied using feathers that further her free-spirited imagery
ON BECOMING
Fiber Art and photo transfer
16”x 24”
NFS
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THE ENSO CIRCLE RESIDENTS
CAROLYN ADAMS
“To some extent I happily don’t know what I’m doing. I feel that it’s an artist’s responsibility to trust that.” David Byrne
Art was not a serious pursuit until my children were older. I didn’t know what I was doing twelve years ago when I started, and I sometimes feel that way to this day. I am learning that the key is to have fun, be happy, and to trust, trust, trust. Making art is really not the challenge, but using new elements of textiles and plaster to my figurative ceramic pieces initially took great courage. As I explored these new materials, I began to relax, have fun, and let go. I am pleased with the new direction of my art, and I will continue to honor my responsibility as an artist to trust the process.
BARB CONE
At its best art is a conversation in a visual language. I work in abstraction, but often viewers tell me that the imagery reminds them of elements in the natural or man-made world. I adapt materials to different purposes. Cardboard, basswood and balsa are often used to build sculptural pieces. Gesso, graphite, oilstick and encaustic or pigmented wax is well suited to experimenting with surfaces.
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SANDY CURRIE
As an artist I am committed to pushing boundaries and challenging conventional notions of art. My art is not only visually natural but also holds a deep emotional significance. I ultimately, want my art to share my human and animal experiences.. I find joy in repurposing found objects to create thought provoking artwork, but most importantly to send message from my heart to engage yours and promote kindness and compassion. I have found a voice through art that expresses my true feelings..
RACHEL DE ALMEIDA
I was born in NYC, NY and grew up in Southern Connecticut in a household that fostered creative expression. I was very influenced by the city, fashion, and fine art. The child of an artist/teacher and an architect, I developed a strong appreciation for function and design. I am basically a magpie on steroids with ADHD which is why I like to work combining different types of media. Being influenced by Gustav Klimt, MC Escher as well as the POP Art of the 60s I have a love of pattern and bold color often incorporating some sort of bling. After studying theater at Temple University and art at The Boston Museum School of Fine Arts, I graduated with a BFA from Pratt Institute of Technology and went on to work in fashion, film, and architectural design. I am a Reiki Master Teacher and Oracle Reader who has studied Shamanism for 15 years, so it is no mystery that I find my direction from Spirit. I have been in several group shows in the past four years.
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JASMINE DENNIS
Jasmine is a mixed-media artist living in San Antonio, Texas. Her work explores personal mythology through archetypes, symbolism, and storytelling. Through her creations, she identifies the turbulence in body, mind, and spirit, allowing her to transform her anxieties and pain into a grounded practice of embodied meditation. She thrives on experimentation with varied mediums, including but not limited to paint, pastels, wax, poetry, found objects, and everyday household items. The natural world, mythology, music, and contemporary poetry heavily influence her visual ruminations on identity and social conditioning while providing a necessary respite from the noise of the world. Jasmine has worked as an art instructor, a yoga and meditation teacher, and a homeschool educator for neurodivergent creatives.
MAGGIE FITCH
Wildflowers, especially the dandelion, are an enduring symbol of hope to me ever since picking them from abandoned lots in my deteriorating, once-booming hometown. After obtaining a BA from Youngstown State University in Studio Art, circumstances led to a practical job path instead of a creative one. However, I practiced printmaking, painting and ceramics whenever possible while focusing on juggling family life within the work-a-day world. After retirement in 2013 from The University of Texas at Austin, I returned to the creative journey at San Antonio’s Southwest School of Art’s community program. My work has been exhibited locally and sold to individual collectors.
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KAREN MURPHY
Karen Murphy is a glass artist who has worked in several different disciplines for over 35 years. She has produced pieces for both commercial and residential settings. Initially creating stained glass windows early in her career, she went on to teach stained glass classes. She later transitioned to glass fusing, exploring the integration of technical processes with artistic expression.
Karen’s focus is producing thought provoking glass sculpture through layering fused glass pieces.
Karen Murphy’s work has been published in the inaugural edition of Salann Magazine, 2019 and most recently in The Enso Circle Spring 2023 residency catalog. In addition to participating in many art fairs, she has been a member of The Charleston, SC Crafts Co-op, a member of The Art League of Hilton Head, SC where her work was exhibited, and a featured artist in a limited run exhibition at The Seagrass Gallery, Isle of Palms, SC
MARGUERITE MOREAU MCCARTHY
Marguerite Moreau McCarthy is an exhibiting artist and veteran art educator. She holds degrees in Art Education (B.S., Louisiana State University) and Painting (M.F.A., The George Washington University). She has designed and implemented workshops for art museums in Louisiana and Texas. The artist’s work has been displayed nationally in both corporate and private collections. In 2008, she was commissioned to create a formal portrait of Paris Hilton for her Los Angeles home. At a young age, Marguerite was introduced to Josef Albers’ color theories by her sister Tonsie Moreau Beach, also an artist and art educator. Color relationships have informed her work ever since in drawing, painting, printmaking and collage media; McCarthy’s faith is implied in her attention to nature’s full color spectrum. Her paintings expressively capture the effects of light on subjects ranging from portraiture to landscapes to interior scenes, as she seeks to “share glimpses of holiness while observing the ordinary.”
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Photo by Chris Noel
MARJ NARDI
My work is inspired by found elements and interesting techniques that catch my eye. When I find a spectacular yarn, colorful thread, beautiful feather or stone – I wonder how I can incorporate this into a wall hanging. Seeing unusual textures challenges me to learn or experiment with a new skill. I crave getting lost in the creative process, and sense that without these moments my life would become dark and cloudy. In getting lost, I find peace and happiness, even a celebratory freedom; the final product is merely a byproduct of the journey.
NADINE RUSINEK-BLOOMFIELD
“May your imagination know The grace of perfect danger... To reach beyond imitation, And the wheel of repetition... Until the veil of the unknown yields And something original begins to stir toward your senses...” J O’Donahue
I live and work in Toronto, Canada. I am a mixed media artist and writer. I have historically not prioritized my artist self. I have come to know that it is crucial to lean into the ‘graceful danger of imagination’ if one is to thrive. I was thrilled to be invited to Enso in order to grow as an artist and also to support others in community. I am pulled toward encaustic’s propensity for forgiveness. This is another kind of grace, and one I seek in my work. I can layer in wax my photography, paintings, writing to become an archaeologist of my own story. A revisionist of memory, the shaper of my world. Layering, unlayering, revealing and obscuring. Letting the viewer discover themselves in the images. This allows beauty, connection and healing, even in trauma. In this way, as an artist, I strive for transformation and transcendence.
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PAMELA STRATTON
I have been working as a healer on Cape Ann for over 30 years using acupuncture and herbal medicine. My personal life experience along with working in the medical field exposes me to the ephemeral nature of life and the importance of maintaining balance. Creating a mosaic is a deeply focusing activity like a meditation. I enjoy the solid permanence of the materials, their weight, texture and history.
My work is un-grouted which allows for a mix of materials of uneven thickness that gives it a sculptural quality in which the glass can be angled to reflect the light. My recent work integrates encaustic wax and mixed media techniques in sculpture. I love how the combination of the fluidity of wax and the strong textures in mosaic can evoke a sense of both movement and tranquility within the work.
KATHY UTTS
Kathleen Utts, a fiber artist and Saori weaver, transports us into a realm where cloth becomes art. With a profound respect for the Saori philosophy of self-expression and freedom, Kathleen creates woven artworks that embrace imperfection and celebrate individuality. Through her loom, she weaves colors and textures, and stitches each piece with her signature inclusion of bird symbology. Through intricate manipulation of textiles, she crafts tactile narratives that explore the intersection of artistic expression, beauty, and the human experience. Her artworks are not mere woven garments or tapestries but living reflections of Kathy’s journey, capturing moments of serenity, joy, and contemplation. This piece entitled, “ON BECOMING” is a departure from Kathy’s usual woven work, expanding her horizon to include storytelling with photos transferred onto silk that peek out through woven windows, and decorative handspun yarn plied using feathers that further her freespirited imagery.
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Contact Information for Enso Artists-in-Residence
Carolyn Adams
carolynadams@me.com
San Antonio, Texas
Marguerite (Margo) Moreau McCarthy
mccarthy.4@sbcglobal.net
San Antonio, Texas
Barb Cone
bconeart@gmail.com
Concord, Massachusetts
Karen Murphy
Karen@katiartglass.com
Summerville, South Carolina
Sandra Currie
horsedoc@flash.net
Llano, Texas
Rachel de Almeida
laughingspirithc@gmail.com
South Berwick, Maine
Marjorie Nardi
marj.nardi@gmail.com
Wichita, Kansas
Nadine Rusinek-Bloomfield
Nadinerusinekbloomfield@gmail.com
Scarborough. Ontario
Jasmine Dennis jasminelivkiret76@gmail.com
San Antonio, Texas
Pam Stratton
pamstratton63@gmail.com
Rockport, Massachusetts
Maggie Fitch
magfitch@gmail.com
San Antonio, Texas
Kathy Utts
kathleen.utts@gmail.com
Wimberley, Texas
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LYN BELISLE
ENSO CIRCLE FOUNDERS TEXAS TEXAS
MICHELLE BELTO
MICHELLE BELTO
My best work has always had components of image, story and dance. Without the immediacy of live performance, I’ve had to wrestle with the limits of the visual form. How was I to merge narrative in my work or give a sense of movement in what is basically a two-dimensional static image? My questions and my ensuing study led me to paper and wax as mediums of choice. Paper, as an organic material, is useble only after it is transformed from grass into pulp which becomes canvas. Wax, in its molten state, incorporates movement as an essential quality in both application and process.
LYN BELISLE
Human faces, ancient or contemporary, fascinate me as summaries of life stories in the moment. Clay, paper, beeswax, and fiber are my instinctive, beloved media but mark-making through abstract painting challenges me to develop my own language of expression and translation.The more aware I am of the little day-to-day things that capture my attention by calling to me in a mysterious way, and the more I take note of them, the more understanding I gain about the purpose of my art as basic human communication, both to myself and to the viewer.
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About the Artist & the Work
When I look back at my years of creative work, I am not surprised to learn that what attracts me most is the space between two elements. Time and Memory are often themes in my art because I am intrigued with how time shapes our memories and how memories influence our choices.
To speak to eras of time, I build complex surfaces where remembered experiences are viewed as scars and remnants, traces of original thought. My medium of choice is wax for its physical properties of layering and unearthing. I like that the process of applying and removing paint is reminiscent of the meditative tradition of Ora et Labora, a Latin phrase used to describe the contemplative practice of praying while working. When the mind is free, the unconscious has a voice. It is that voice that I wait for in my work.
Daily Devotions started as a studio practice I adopted in 2022 when I first began to shift to a more intuitive method of creating. These four small paintings are representative of a larger body of work, proposed for an exhibition in 2024 as I return to my formative convent years for inspiration.
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Work #1
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Encaustic, mixed media on panel
5x5”
NFS Work #2
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Encaustic, mixed media on panel
5x5”
NFS
Work #3
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Encaustic, mixed media on panel
5x5”
NFS Work #4
DAILY DEVOTIONS
Encaustic, mixed media on panel
5x5”
NFS
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About the Artist & the Work
LYN BELISLE
Like every Enso Circle Resident, Michelle and I set a personal goal for the twelve-week term and work alongside the Resident fellow artists as part of the community. This practice ensures that we are not just the Circle “leaders,” but are empathetic participants in the process.
My focus this term has been a quiet and personal exploration of AI technology as it defines and interprets my own body of work in clay and assemblage. I hace used Midjourney as my chosen AI tool.
The top example shows an interpretation of one of my figurative sculptures. The original is on the left, the AI result is on the right. The AI interpretation brings a strange kind of two-dimensional implied narrative to the original work.
A similar thing happens in the piece on the bottom left. AI “humanizes” my clay shard faces and gives them human emotions and features. The final piece on bottom right is the result of a written prompt that produced the young girl and the rabbit. It’s an intriguing result because there’s something not quite right about it despite its realism.
AI is a remarkable artist’s tool for anaylsis and self-critique. As artists, we comment on society and community. Exploration is in our DNA. I have come to no formal conslusion about the uses of AI as a tool, but the questions it has raised for me over the past twelve weeks have expanded my thoughts about the definitions of what “art” is. It’s a profound experience.
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HOW WE CREATE IS A VARIED AS WHERE WE CREATE. HERE ARE SOME STUDIO PHOTOS FROM ENSO CIRCLE RESIDENTS.
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Congratulations to the Residents of the Enso Circle for an excellent exhibit! We are so grateful to you for your creativity, courage, and diversity!
Michelle Belto is a multi-faceted artist and teacher, whose work as an artist, educator and author spans more than forty years, three continents and multiple publications. She holds degrees and certifications in Fine Art, Theater and Expressive Arts. Michelle’s teaching schedule includes instruction in her signature work with paper and wax (Wax and Paper Workshop, Northlight Press 2012) and her life’s work developing an insightful process for deciphering meaning and purpose from the art we create. Her work is in private, corporate and museum collections. Michelle is a R&F Teir Instructor for R&F Paints and an adjunct faculty at Southwest School of Art where she teaches a variety of encaustic painting courses.
Lyn Belisle is a multidisciplinary artist embracing encaustic painting, earthenware, digital imagery, sculpture, textiles and found objects. Her artwork gives expression to her quest to discover and connect synchronistic shards of meaning through collage and assemblage. She teaches mixed-media workshops at Lyn Belisle Studio in San Antonio, and also teaches nationally, most recently in Santa Fe, Provincetown, Washington State, and Taos. Her online workshops and ebooks cover an array of topics for all levels. Her signature media are earthenware, paper and fiber. She recently retired from the faculty in the Computer Science Department at Trinity University to work full time at her studio.
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