These descriptions will help you know more about each event. They're listed by category: Events, Talk, Demos.
Event: Print-a-Palooza
With the Conference’s relocation to the Provincetown Inn, we make use of the enormous Mayflower Room to offer events that can accommodate every conferee who wishes to attend. On Friday afternoons it’s a roundup of demos on a particular theme. Last year it was a Monotype Marathon. This year, Print-a-Palooza, where you get to see three different aspects of printmaking with encaustic.
. Screen Printing Onto Encaustic: Jeffrey Hirst
Screenprinting onto Encaustic, a Print-a-Palooza event, will explore a unique process where pigment sticks are screenprinted onto encaustic surfaces. Approaches will include printing transparent and opaque pigment stick films onto paintings and monoprints, “drawing with the screen,” and printing multiple color prints onto/ into encaustic surfaces.
Jeff will offer a Post-Con workshop on the same topic
. Michelle Marcuse: Transfer Printing from Wax Paper
Michelle will share techniques that she has developed using wax paper. Since this common kitchen product has a natural ability to ‘release’, she uses it to transfer print photographic imagery from either a copy machine or color laser printer to the skin of the wax. As in a monoprint, it can also be manipulated to transpose encaustic marks or layers of applied medium/colored wax to a painting. Other applications for this ordinary material abound. Its translucent properties make it a wonderful stencil as it allows for accurate registration, and, being waxy, it seals well to the encaustic surface, minimizing color leakage with the paint application.
. Lisa Zukowski: Gelatin Plate Monotypes
Gelatin Plate Monotypes use water-soluble encaustic paint on plates made from gelatin to create one of a kind images on paper. In this unique method of printmaking, imagery is created directly onto the gelatin plate. The paint is applied to the plate using a variety of tools including, but not limited to, brushes, brayers, stencils and textured materials. Once the image is complete, paper is laid on the plate and the image is transferred to the paper by hand pressure, without the use of heat or the need of a press.
Event: Saturday Morning Panel
Igniting the Spark, Fanning the Flame: Creativity in Our Practice
Learning techniques is one thing. Using them to create original works of art with your unique voice is quite another. What is the spark that generates ideas? How do we fan those sparks into a blaze of inspiration? And how to we keep that inspirational blaze aflame througout the months and years of a practice? Five exhibiting artists discuss the creative process from different points of view. The panel discussion will be followed by Q&A with the audience.
Panelists:
. Pamela Blum: Encoding, Decoding Meaning in Our Work
. Paula Roland; Developing Materials, Technique, Form, Content
. Toby Sisson, Critique as a Way to Develop Your Vision
. Howard Hersh: Putting it into Practice
. Elise Wagner: The Influence of Science on Art
. Joanne Mattera, moderator
Event: Keynote
Talks
Suzanne Arnold Ephemeral Figures in Wax
As an organic medium, beeswax has the unique ability to simulate the look, touch and feel of human flesh. From earliest times artists took advantage of these qualities to create lifelike wax reproductions of the human head and body as objects for portraiture, science, religion, entertainment and art. By the mid 20th century, artists began to seek out forgotten images and reconsider wax as a medium for human figuration. Wax’s very mutability, ephemerality and ambiquity now matched contemporary artists’ vision of the human condition. This review of wax sculpture’s story and images, from the Infant of Prague to Mme. Tussaud to Urs Fischer, is fascinating, funny, scary and inspiring.
Miles Conrad Presenting to a Gallery
This session is intended for the practicing artist who wants to prepare a professional-quality presentation packet. The session will cover formats and content development for the Artist Resume, Statement, Inventory Sheet, Images, Web Site, and printed materials. Miles, a gallery owner as well as an artist, will also discuss artist/gellery etiquette when requesting a portfolio review.
Miles will offer two Post-Con workshops in dimensional encaustic: his popular Off the Wall (Full) and a new one on Casting Wax.
Hylla Evans Copyright Law for Artists
What is copyright? How do you get it and protect it? When is it fair use to appropriate images into artwork by collage or transfer? May we post pictures of other artist's work online? Who owns copyright on a commissioned work? What constitutes 'publication' in the age of the internet? The US Copyright Act of 1976 vastly simplified protections for all writers and artists, making for a clearer understanding of limits and protections afforded copyright holders. This one hour class provides an understanding of copyright issues. There will be a question and answer session to address artists' concerns
Joanne Freeman Process, Medium and Content: One Artist’s Story
The co-dependent relationship of process, medium and content are the focus of this talk by a New York artist who is represented by Lohin Geduld Gallery in New York City. Using examples from her own painting history, Joanne will demonstrate how initial ideas germinate and expand with changes in process and medium. She has been concentrating on various wax surfaces since the 1980's and has produced a body or work that demonstrates how a personal visual language develops over time. Ideas related to purpose and content will be presented in conjunction with both contemporary and historical references and backed up with examples from her own work.
Richard Frumess Investigations into Materials: Adhesion
This will be the second of an ongoing series of yearly progress reports on our investigations presented at the International Encaustic Conference. At the 2011 conference Richard pesented the results of our outdoor lightfastness test in Arizona. He also discussed the methods we had developed to test the adhesion of encaustic to surfaces. This year he is are planning to use the adhesion test methods to create a comparative scale for how well encaustic adheres to a variety of substrates, such as wood, paper, canvas, glass, plexiglass, metal (including rust), acrylic gesso, tempera, oil paint, glue, and other waxes. He will also discuss the progress of other research into such topics as the relationship of different pigments to encaustic medium, blooming, and the effects of different waxes in encaustic.
Mo Godbeer Waxing Down Under
Encaustic is a fledgling art form in Australia. Despite the huge distances between cities, the artists have commonalities, including artistic themes such as nature, globalization, urbanization, and isolation. Mo will relate how the medium has evolved there and showcase work by a cross section of practicing artists, including prominent Australians Jenny Sages and Martin King, as well as a collective of women who met at an encaustic workshop in Ballarat and who formed the group cheekily called Waxing Down Under. The group’s goal is to promote, inspire and encourage other Australian artists working with encaustic. Mo will feature five of the the artists from this group—their backgrounds, their studios, and what influences their work.
Jane Guthridge Bringing Light Into Your Work
In this talk Jane will explore how the use of light and its visual perceptions can be used to achieve a transcendence that cannot be captured in a fixed moment. Through images of artists’ work, you will see how light can be used as a material combined with encaustic to achieve self illumination. You will also learn more about these artists and their work, and view their methods of display.
Deborah Kapoor Displaying Work Outside the Frame
This topic is of interest to any artist who is interested in making work that is displayed in a manner different from cradled panels or framed paper. You'll examine the backs of artworks, hanging hardware, and look at works where the hanging mechanism is a formal element of the work. Deborah intends this presentation to be a thorough examination of options available for presenting both 2-D and 3-D work.
Cherie Mittenthal & Sara Mast Toward Standards/Practices in Teaching
This is an opportunity to meet as as a diverse group to discuss the idea of standards and practices in the teaching of encaustic. With the director of Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill and a tenured professor of painting at Montana State University, Bozeman, we have two seasoned teachers leading a discussion that will be of interest to all artists who teach, as well as those who are taking courses with independent teachers. What kind of ikind of instruction constitutes Beginner Encaustic? Intermediate? Advanced? Should instruction be all about technique or introduce esthetic concepts? What about how encaustic fits into the larger art world? And what education and experience should a teacher have?
Alexandre Masino Landscape Into Monotype
This presentation addresses the dialogue between landscape painting and monotype, exploring the technical, aesthetical and conceptual notions. Geared toward the interest of pushing two productions side by side, we will cover as widely and precisely as possible how our picturial language is enriched by bouncing from one technique to the next.
Laura Moriarty Funding Your Work: A Practical Guide to Dreaming Big
What kind of artist are you? What do you want to do, and what do you really need in order to make your vision a material reality? Focusing on programs whose mission is to support artists by providing them with the space, time, resources and money needed to complete ambitious projects, this presentation will outline how programs work, and how artists can be effective applicants. By gaining a broader understanding of the funding field, and applying to programs that their work is a good match for, artists can make the stongest case for themselves in the often limited space allowed.
Catherine Nash Paper and Wax: Contemporary International Trends
Catherine will present a survey of international artists who combine encaustic with paper: an exploration of how the diversity of paper combined with the unique properties of wax can be integrated in collage, sculptural paper (either cast, formed or woven), monoprints and paintings on paper, artist books, photography and more other techniques. Focus will be on the 22 artists Nash chose to interview via video for her e-book, Paper and Wax, as well as a number of others curated into the publication.
Catherine will offer a two-day Post-Con on Wax + Paper + Encaustic (Full)
Nancy Natale Wax and Bricolage: Collage with Muscle
“Bricolage” means a construction made with found or invented objects. By “muscle” I am referring to the physicality of the construction, moving from the flat two dimensions of a painting or collage to a semi-relief dimensionality that stops short of sculpture. I will present bricolage works from artists who use encaustic as an integral part of their work, and instead of showing single works from a large number of artists, I will include several images from a smaller group to give a sense of what each artist’s work is about.
Nancy will offer a Pre-Con and a Post-Con workshop on Bricolage, and one called Constructing Bricolage: Solving Problems with Adhering and Fastening
Lisa Pressman Visiting the Encaustic Studio
Studio views give an intriguing insight to the work of an artist. Visiting the Encaustic Studio is a digital presentation of artists from around the country who use encaustic in their practice. I will be showing the work, the studio and each artist’s inspirations. We will also look at tools, ventilation, shipping, storage options and individual techniques. Lise will present this talk in Post-Con (evening to be announced), which is free and open to anyone who attended the Conference or is attending Post-Con.
Lisa will offer a Post-Con Introduction to Pigment Stick and Encaustic (Full)
Marybeth Rothman Wax Collage: Beyond Technique
This talk is a presentation of contemporary artists whose work transcends both encaustic and collage to form a singular expression. There will be a brief history of collage, including the work of Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Hannah Hoch, Kurt Schwitters, and Jasper Johns followed by the encaustic work of painters, bookmakers, printmakers and photographers. This exposition will emphasize the message rather than the medium.
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Patti Russotti Photographing Work: When to DIY, When to Hire it Out
This presentation will survey the different options and methods for photographing your work as well as a brief demo illustrating the results of a do-it-yourself photo studio. When should you photograph work yourself and when should you hire a professional? How do images differ when photographed with a smart phone, a point-and-shoot, and an SLR? What kinds of lights will give you a professonal quality? What do you need to know about formats and software? How much photo geekiness do you need to get professonal results? Join Patti, associate professor in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology, to see and discuss your options as an artist.
Demos
Binnie Birstein Basics of Encaustic
What is medium? What is fusing? What’s a substrate? If you are new to encaustic, we urge you to attend this demo so that you will become familiar with the essential terms and processes that will be referenced throughout the Conference. Birstein will introduce you to painting with a medium that begins to harden the moment it leaves its heat source. You will learn about wax and medium, painting and fusing, substrate options, working the surface to achieve various textures, archival issues, and safe studio practices. If you are new to encaustic, this is a demo you must attend, because all other Conference presentations assume you will have a basic understanding of materials and techniques.
Binnie will offer a Pre-Con workshop on Demystifying Transfers (Recently added)
Andrea Bird & Lynette Haggard Fusing Comparisons: Iron, Heat Gun, Torch
If you’ve been stuck on one type of fusing method, it may be time to consider the options. Andrea has demonstrated fusing with the iron several years running, while Lynette has demonstrated the options and safety requirements of fusing with an open flame. Together they will show you these methods, as well as offering tips with better fusing with a heat gun. Come, compare. If you are new to encaustic, this is a demo you should attend, but even longtime practitioners can benefit from learning a new methods.
Both Andrea and Lynette will offer individual Post-Con workshops on their specialties: Andrea’s Multi-Tool Approach to Fusing and Lynette’s Day of Flames, fusing with the torch
David A. Clark Finessing the Monoprint Learn how to fine tune the visual texture, color and crispness of your encaustic prints. Using a variety of simple techniques like blotting, masking, re-working a print and printing with both the paper face up and the paper face down, David will show viewers how to use simple solutions to take their encaustic prints to the next level. Come see how much is possible while printing with wax.
David will offer a Post-Con on Monotype Printing with Stencils (Full)
Elena De La Ville Photography with Encaustic
Thise demo combines the ancient art of encaustic with modern photography and printing techniques.
Included in this demo will be: attaching the image to the board, different ways of applying wax and pigments, printing options and papers, discussion of Photoshop and digital image manipulation.
Elena will offer both a Pre- and Post-Con on the same topic (both are full)
Lorraine Glessner Printing with Rust Rust Printing is the process of creating marks and patterns with rusty metal objects and wire, while composting creates marks via the decomposition of fruits, vegetables and plant matter. Both methods yield a wide range of colors, and when combined with the warm translucency of encaustic, the resulting marks become a rich, dynamic framework for subsequent painting. Working on paper and fabric, Lorraine will demonstrate basic methods and variations. Lorraine will offer a Post-Con on Beyond Collage: Printing with Rust and Branding (Full)
Cari Hernandez Encaustic and Plaster Cloth
Plaster cloth is a wonderful material to use to create sculpture; after it is shaped and dry it makes for a superb absorbent surface that receives encaustic while remaining lightweight in consideration of its mass. In this hour-long presentation, the basics of creating three dimensional forms using plaster cloth will be explored. Demonstrating on sculptured forms in differing stages of development will help to illustrate the methods and techniques used when creating these exciting forms.
Cari will offer a two-day Post Con on the same topic
Supria Karmakar The Altered Book
This session will demonstrate how to create a work of art out of an old book, using including encaustic medium, pigment sticks, and a variety of collage elements, such as Japanese papers, found objects, mixed media and organics. Specifically discussed will be the types of books that can be altered, what to consider when choosing books, the binding, spine applications and the types of papers within the books. Many examples of finished altered books will be shared and examples of books that are problematic from a technical standpoint will also be shared with the audience. Supria will also show you her personal favorite: how to use mica as a window within the book cover.
Supria will offer a two-day Post-Con on the same topic
Bonny Leibowitz Painterly Effects and Pours
In this demo Bonny will take you through several processes to produce dynamic contrasting effects: one flat and painterly, the other a pour which will “break open” to reveal the painterly effect below. A composition will be created with watercolor directly on the board then layers of medium and fusing in of color utilizing pigment sticks will be repeated, along with the use of an iron to develop the surface. Small objects can be embedded, and “walls” in interesting shapes will be built to hold wax for the pour. Once these are secured, a pour can be made and the dams quickly removed and cleaned up.
Bonnie will offer a a Post-Con on the same topic (Full)
Lynda Ray Texture and Color
Create engaging surfaces with encaustic paint using a thick stencil, a heated palette knife or a slightly cool loaded brush. Exploit the character of color: warm/cool, transparent/opaque, light/dark, with the quality of the medium to generate dynamic work.
Lynda will offer a Post-Con in Beginning Encaustic
Tracy Spadafora Creating Optical and Physical Depth with Encaustic
In this demo Tracy will address the differences between optical and physical depth as it applies to building a painting in encaustic. I will discuss layering vs. pouring - the advantages and disadvantages of each. Materials, equipment, and techniques for controlling transparency through layers will be discussed. Tracy will offer a Post-Con on the same topic
Pamela Wallace Wax and the Collograph Print
A variety of unique techniques for creating collograph plates will be examined. Methods of utilizing collograph prints with wax and pigment sticks, as well as various direct uses of collograph plates on waxed panels will be demonstrated. Prior working knowledge of basic encaustic techniques is suggested.
Charyl Weissbach A Flash of Metal
Flash of Metal focuses on a variety of gilding techniques and materials: demonstrations in sizing, gilding, and sealing surfaces with genuine and imitation leaf; loose leaf gold leafing above and below the surface, patent leaf for leaf transfer, ribbon leaf, for larger flat surfaces, metallic foils, metal flakes, and metallic powdered pigments for accenting encaustic works.
Charyl will offer her back-by-popular-demand Post-Con, Mainly Metals (Full)
Gregory Wright Patterned Effects w/ Mixed Media in Encaustic
In this demonstration, Gregory will show how to achieve beautiful patterns and textures with powdered pigments and how to create even more bold and dramatic effects with different shellacs. Then he will demonstrate some possible combinations of these techniques and ways to incorporate them into encaustic painting. Fire, used as a design tool, will be highlighted, as well as safety issues of working with a propane torch and with these media. This year’s demonstration will also feature new ideas, products and information about alternatives to powdered pigments.
Gregory will offer his back-by-popular-demand Post-Con of the same name (Full)
Tania Wycherley Advanced Image transfer: Working Large This session will demonstrate how to transfer toner images that exceed the 11x17 inch paper size barrier. We will discuss computer software to help with sizing as well as printing options. Burnishing techniques to create near-seamless image connections as well as tools and tricks to blend any resulting lines will be demonstrated. Join us for this demo that will leave you with the tools to enlarge your images in wax!
Tania will offer a Post-Con on the same topic
