Forest Light
Posted on January 2, 2021
I just completed this piece, which had reached several earlier points at which it seemed complete. While there were aspects of the earlier versions that I was quite pleased with, something kept calling me back. A kind of restless feeling of non-resolution, a sense that the work was not yet mysterious enough to me. So, I returned, I scraped back, I built up new layers of wax. I nearly submerged the work in darkness – layers of dark encaustic and dark oils with beeswax – and then began to excavate to allow the underlying lightness to shine through.
Some paintings just need time to ripen to the point at which they feel true. And they demand that you risk destroying work that may actually be good…
Announcing a Virtual Course
Posted on December 1, 2020
I’m very pleased to announce that I will be offering a virtual 2-part workshop, Wax Over Water: Creating luminous images with encaustics, oils and watercolors, via Zoom through the Museum of Encaustic Art/Encaustic Art Institute.
The February 6 and 13 workshop is just about full, so we decided to offer it again in March. A flyer with detailed info about the workshop and how to register is available on the EAI website at this link. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message via my Contact page.
Winter Berries
Posted on October 27, 2020
I reached a turning point in this piece when I added celadon green to the sky, touches of cad yellow pale mixed with white along the horizon, and dashes of green gold to the pines at the edges between the forest and the sky. The moment that I knew this painting was done was rapturous. After working intensely, I paused. At long last, the painting had resolved.
Wetland at Dusk
Posted on September 22, 2020
I am humbled, thrilled, and still in a state of shock to learn that Wetland at Dusk has received this year’s Faber Birren National Color Award for original and creative expression of color!
As with much of my recent work, I started this piece with watercolors on a gessoed panel and then built layers of encaustics and oils with beeswax. My original intent was to do a painting inspired by Yellowstone’s colorful geothermal Artists Paintpots.
While I was pleased with the early layers, they didn’t quite capture the Paintpots as I recalled them. The piece evolved in a very different direction, and I followed, willingly.
A Cloud of Seeds
Posted on September 1, 2020
I am mesmerized by the clouds of seeds that hover over fields in late summer as grasses and wildflowers go to seed while touches of summer greens remain visible.
This painting started with watercolors on a cradled, gessoed panel followed by multiple layers of encaustics. The cloudy sky area was heated to a smooth surface while other areas were more lightly fused allowing deep and rich textures. Using blades and knives, I cut and carved into the field and tree areas adding even more vegetative texture. Finally, I applied transparent oils mixed with R & F Paints’ Blending Medium (beeswax with linseed oil) and lightly fused to the encaustic surface.
Dawn
Posted on July 22, 2020
Unexpected things happen when you are painting.
I anticipated a cooler tone when I picked up an oil pigment stick and ran it across the lower left hand corner, but there were surprising (even alarming) traces of Indian Yellow and Green Gold.
I stood back as the music of this piece at once resolved on a high note.
Spring Snow
Posted on May 25, 2020
April fields began to green and tree buds swell, yet the almost daily spring snowstorms continued to blanket these Northern Catskill Mountains as if sensing the pandemic mood.
I created this 12 by 16 painting using encaustics and oils with beeswax over watercolor on a cradled panel. It is on display at the Rhode Island Watercolor Society’s online exhibit: It’s All About Color. Visit my Art Process page to see the evolution of this piece from watercolor to encaustic to oil to finished work.
Fading Crocus
Posted on May 25, 2020
This year, crocuses endured several April snows before fading away into the fresh spring grasses.
Fading Crocus, an 8 x 8 x 1.5 encaustic with oils and beeswax over watercolor painting will be on display this summer in the Bloom and Grow exhibit at Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Art Center in Solomons, MD.
Reservoir
Posted on December 13, 2019
October Morning
Posted on September 28, 2019
Just the subtlest touches of encaustics and oils with beeswax over a watercolor base seem to bring out the best in each media and result in work that is truest to my experience of the beauty of the northern mountains.