First attempts with Encaustic and new idea

Here are my 'VERY in process' starts to working the new idea in encaustic.

Thoughts? I'm finding that if I don't get it right the first time, going back and working the lines is not fun. I'm going to continue to experiment.

How do you process?

I have been thinking about the way I approach my work lately. I sketch but in various books or whatever paper product happens to be around. I'm facinated with where ideas come from. My neice Alecia drew a picture for me that started a three month facination with lines and organic shapes.

I love how Alecia's shapes are all interconnected and funky. I also enjoy that the circles are not circles at all but squarish shapes.

Here are some of the images that I have drawn in response to Alecias drawing. I would love to be able to work these out with encaustic but I'm not sure that's possible. Trying would be a good start!

Three Shows in February

I'm super excited because my work is going to be in three shows in February. The first show is the Beaverton Visual Arts Showcase, it's a juried show. They chose my crow. I'm also going to be in a show called Mentors and Artists Who Teach, it's at George Fox University. The last show is Beyond the Demos which will be at the West Linn Library. After putting on the Scholastic show it's going to be fun to show my own work. Here are some photo's of my recent work, done during this crazy snow storm. I've got two more in the works.

Trying to solve the problem

Well I was pretty happy to have finished all three pieces considering all that was going on in my life. Yeah, yeah Ms. McBride we are all busy. I know. I'm still frustrated with the puddling on the black and white chicken. When I put the paper down the surface below was not even and I think that's what did it. I've asked for some advise from other encaustic artist that I know. I took some lame pictures of the work in my kitchen. You can see the puddling in the one that's more close up.

I'm not sure what I want to do for my next chicken painting. The compositions usually come to me in a vision or dream. Nothing yet....

Looking Ahead

There hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about getting into the studio but life keeps getting in the way!  This weekend I'm going to the beach, which is good, but I won't be in the studio.  So, I'm going to have to find some time here and there after school.  I'm thinking I might need to set up a little encaustic station for myself at school.  The reality that I could actually get anything done at school however is slim.  I have two pieces done, just need to finish one more.  Yikes.  

I'm going to try

I have always wanted to complete a concentration along with the AP class. I'm feeling like this is a good year to try. Of course I say that now, before Thanksgiving, Christmas, organizing the entire Scholastic Art Awards program, bookclub, IEA, OAEA, parenting, blah, blah. I'm going to give it a whirl.

This weekend I started to paint, after lots of sketching, thinking and taking pictures of the girls. Who are the girls? My chickens! I want to complete a series of chicken portraits. Originally, I was thinking chicken mug shots and I don't want to abandon that idea, I just got excited about the colors and texture. Working in encaustic I would like to continue to explore the media and all that it has to offer. The idea with the chickens is two fold, to capture their personality using texture, line and color. And at the same time to find a way to super impose my various personality traits into the chicken portraits. I'm still working out the kinks.

Here is the first one, in process. This is Wilma, the lowest chicken on the totem pole, or should I say pecking order. She very often is not included with the rest of the group. Wilma is very sweet, shy and tries hard to please. At first she looked really mean, I didn't have the eye right. I think she looks lots better today. So far, I'm pleased with the overall look. This picture doesn't give the color justice.

Oh, the picture I'm using for my profile is Wilma. We have the same hair color!