Encaustics, My Next Adventure...
Last weekend I attended the 4th Annual Encaustics Conference at the Monserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA. I have been experimenting lately with encaustics because I have been drawn to the simple process of painting with the natural medium of beeswax and tree sap/resin.
Beeswax smells and feels heavenly delicious to me. When I touch the warm wax, I have the same warm and cozy feeling as I do when I drink a warm cup of hot tea on a cold night. It soothes me like no other medium I have ever used before. Even though I am new to encaustics, somehow I feel like I have been using it my whole life.
(Judy Klich, Robin Van Hoozer and Ruth Ann Muirhead-Stephens)
I am not alone with my passion for beeswax. At the conference, I experienced something I never had happen to me before with a group of artists. Every artist that I met was warm, open and willing to share every secret, every gained experience with grace and generosity.
When I returned to Miami, I realized that not only did I learn a lot about encaustics, but I also learned what it feels like when a whole group of artists share, support, encourage and inspire each other openly and honestly.
A few days after the conference I happen to ask an artist in Miami about their technique. The artist said he couldn't tell me because he said it was his secret and couldn't share that information. I smiled and thought about what I had learned and about the best kept secret of all: helping others is the first step toward success.
Nancy, I began following your blog recently because every Google Alert I had found you weekly. I kept clicking into your blog...well...now...you have another follower. =)
ReplyDeleteI am working with encaustics in Homestead, Florida. I would LOVE to work with another artist with this media!!! I could not attend the workshop, but consoled myself with some online purchases and a couple of books about encaustics.
The artist that will not share will not learn...HIS loss!
I have some of my encaustics on my website. If you would like to see them, please follow my Google account.
Angeline-Marie: Thanks for following! Sorry you missed the encaustic conference. I really learned a lot and met fabulous artists working in encaustics.
ReplyDeleteThank you for including me in your blog. You did a good job of capturing the essence of the conference. I really miss my new encaustic friends. I really want to start an IEA chapter in Nashville! Glad to have meet you!
ReplyDeleteGreat to meet you too. Hopefully we can both make it next year. Thanks again for everything!
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