Encaustics & mixed media - "Decreasing Moon"

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom” ~ Victor Frankl

"Decreasing Moon" - encaustic collage on canvas (70 x 55cm)

My work I think is hardly inspired by the outside world. Despite my daily dog walks through beautiful fields or along the beach, my paintings don't seem to draw from these images. Never mind - as long as the creative juices flow!

“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters to what lies within us.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

... and painting is one great way of becoming aware of what lies within us. It is often surprising (and sometimes even shocking) to see what emerges during the creative process. To me it seems like another form of dreaming.

"morning chill" - encaustic collage (20x15cm)

I quite like this encouraging quote from Georgia O'Keefe:

"I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life – and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.”

What a strong woman... I can see this strength in her art which is grand, brave and strong.
My paintings are more like playful jigsaws or mosaics, I'm always trying to put little pieces together which may or may not fit.

"Tuscan Autumn" - encaustic collage on board (40x30cm)

encaustics & mixed media , Home / Your Voice

"Your Voice" - encaustics with mixed media on paper & board (30cm x 25cm)

"Home" - encaustics with mixed media on paper & board (45cm x 25cm)

I am getting more into the "swing" of this new medium.
The good thing for me is that the encaustic technique is very open to experimenting. You can always re-heat and scrape off or, if paper, take it off.
The difficult thing is, as with painted papers, to avoid messing up their colours when covering them with hot wax, and when fusing them with a very hot torch.
And, most importantly, how to avoid covering your hands (and clothes...) with hot wax? You have sometimes to react so quickly - and if there's no tool at hand, I just hold things down with my fingers...

mixed media - "Melisande in the wood"

"Melisande in the wood" - mixed media (70cm x 55cm)

The painting itself is actually not quite as colourful as in this photograph. I find it really difficult to take photos of my artwork, especially if the surface is partly shiny, partly "muted".
Inspiration for this piece comes from tribal art, shaman rites, and here again colours and textures I sucked in during my holiday in Spain are very present. I can't deny it - I love colours! Although I'll try to get them a bit more muted. 

We live and experience so much through our visual sense.  What would I do without it? Seeing colours, compositions, textures and artworks I like opens my heart and gives me so much joy. How could I ever live without that?

Encaustic - great fun!

Encaustic painting - "Melisande, alone" (paper, wax crayon, seeds & hot wax on board; 25cm x 25cm)

Encaustic painting - "In the Woods" (paper, wax crayon, seeds & hot wax on board; 25cm x 25cm)

Finally I've set up a corner in my studio for encaustics.
My basic knowledge of this marvellous technique comes from a few good books as well as instructional videos featuring some inspiring encaustic artists (I'll give some titles & authors in my next post).
However I imagine it would be so much better taking part in a workshop, run by an experienced artist, with a few other passionate students. There seem to be no encaustic workshops on offer in the UK. Whereas in the US, it seems to be THE art technique to learn. And of course, I'm so envious about all the wonderful material for encaustics on offer in the US! I felt like a stone age explorer when I tried to gather some basic stuff like encaustic medium, wax or even a hot plate on ebay.
Anyway, I am quite proud now having produced some initial pieces without too many burn blisters on my hands.

mixed media painting & collage - Rondo

Rondo - mixed media on board (100cm x 70cm)

With layers of cloths and laces, old fabrics and acrylics, this result reminds me very much of Spain, one of my favourite countries where I'll soon go to spend some time. Spain is such a vibrant result of a history of different cultures - the Phoenicians and Greeks, Moorish, Jews and Gypsies populations - all left their traces in today's people and culture.

Rondo is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways. In rondo form, a principal theme (sometimes called the "refrain") alternates with one or more contrasting themes.

Ronda is a city in Spanish province of Málaga. It retains much of its historic charm, particularly its old town. It is famous worldwide for its dramatic escarpments and views, and for the deep El Tajo gorge that carries the rio Guadalevín through its centre. Visitors make a beeline for the 18th century Puente Nuevo 'new' bridge, which straddles the 100m chasm below, for its unparalleled views out over the Serranía de Ronda mountains.

Ronda, Andalucia, Province of Malaga, Spain

The Spanish countryside beyond the built up coastal stretches is equally fascinating, dramatic and beautiful.
Good news that Catalonia has recently banned the horrible bull fighting - hopefully the other communities will follow soon!

Mixed Media Painting - Secrets of the Ocean

mixed media painting - "Secrets of the Ocean" (50cm x 35cm)

You can find a lot of inspiring and interesting things when walking along our beaches. Not only driftwood, string and beautiful rocks, but also plastic bottles, cans, plastic containers, plastic toys, brick walls and single shoes. Lots of single shoes.
It makes me think about the ground of our oceans. It must look like a giant tip landscape. I've seen these photos of dead seabirds opened up and showing the content of their inside: plastic caps, strings, cables... We are the masters of creation? And where has our responsability gone?

Mixed Media Painting - Earth & Fire

mixed media painting  "Earth & Fire" ((100cm x 70cm)

Mixed Media painting - Ceremonial dress 1

mixed media painting "Ceremonial dress 1" (100cm x 70cm, acrylics, paper on canvas)

It is not always clear to me where my inspirations come from. In this case the idea of kimono patterns were certainly involved, and also a fascination with ceremonies in general (I was brought up as a catholic), the special state of mind involved with ceremonies and a wonderful a-capella concert with candlelight in our medieval church last weekend.

mixed media painting - origin unknown

"Origin Unknown" - mixed media on canvas (100cm x 65cm)

This is the first time I tried cold wax on one of my paintings. Very exciting! Wax mutes the colours and structures, so the whole looks quite different after the application. I'm sure I have A LOT to learn about this technique. Looking forward to it!

Mixed Media Painting "Her Heart"

 

 

 

 

"Her heart" - acrylics on board, 90cm x 55cm

I finished this painting in 2 days, using tissue paper and newspaper to create a textured background.I know its contrast are quite strong, but that's the way I felt - not very balanced.

Mixed Media painting - Fisherman's Friend

"Fisherman's Friend" (mixed media, 30x25cm, acrylics and found objects on hardboard)

 

Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,
The furrow followed free;
We were the first that ever burst
Into that silent sea.

Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down,
’Twas sad as sad could be;
And we did speak only to break
The silence of the sea !  

All in a hot and copper sky,
The bloody Sun, at noon,
Right up above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the Moon.

Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion ;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink ;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.

Norfolk beach inspiration

This beach is so amazing - it just never looks the same. The groynes are differently decorated each day, and in the sand you can find all kind of treasures, including lovely flintstones with holes or even fossils.

Mixed Media painting - Autumn, already

Cold and windy days, more rain than sunshine - people heretake it stoically, "Well what do you expect - this is the English summer!"
Fields have been harvested already, and the lawn is full of leaves - looks like autumn has arrived.

"Autumn, already" (mixed media, 100cm x 70cm)

mixed media with volcanic sand

For these two paintings I used black sand brought back from Lanzarote - although there's enough sand on our local beach... But this fantastic volcanic grit has a special fascination for me.

"Mundesley"

"breezy day"

crazy skin

Mixed media with paper, sand, acrylics on board.