The Art Blog

These photos are a preview of some experimental pieces  I have been working on in the studio...testing out a few small works on paper... I am calling these paintings my "Wax Paper" series  and I will share some additional  images of these little experiments with you soon.

This week I met up with my friend and fellow encaustic painter, Joyce Gehl , for my own private viewing of her current solo exhibition at the Patricia Rovzar Gallery . The show titled, Flight of the Caterpillar, features Gehl’s lush and layered photo-encaustics that depict ethereal landscapes and macro views of nature. Photo-Encaustic by Joyce Gehl. Detail of Gehl's work showing surface texture. I was struck by the beauty and texture of her finished surfaces. To fully appreciate the subtleties that make her work so compelling you need to see these paintings in person. You’ll have to hurry though…the show comes down May 2nd. For more information visit Joyce Gehl’s website and the Patricia Rovzar Gallery . Joyce Gehl at work in her studio. My afternoon with Joyce continued on and from the gallery show we headed over to TASTE in the  Seattle Art Museum for a delightful lunch and another peek at my show that is still on display there thru June 12th. We t...

Just finished up a 3-Day Encaustic Intensive with a lovely group of artists. One student traveled all the way from New York to participate in the class and everyone had a great time learning how to paint with wax.  Here's our photo diary of the workshop...   Students exploring in the studio .   detail from student work    Student Art Gallery A meaningful collection of work emerged after three full days of painting and the fearless exploration of materials. Alexis came all the way from New York for this workshop!     Encaustic painting by Alexis Wheeler Patty was fearless with her color and master of the landscape. Encaustic painting by Patty Shelledy Mike was inspiring, inventive and industrious. Encaustic painting by Mike Harrison. Sam is a master with the blowtorch and genius with design. Encaustic painting by Samantha Slater.  New friends...Patty, Mike, Sam and Alexis! ...

The sumptuous fiber-based sculptures of Cameron Mason are the feature of Soft Earth , a solo exhibition of Mason’s work opening at Foster/White on   April 7 th - This show combines two of her distinctive forms: Blades and Cotyledons . "The Cotyledons series examines the energy of growth as it bursts forth from the stasis of the contained seed. Shaken from a packet and pushed into damp soil by a child’s finger or planted by the million by an industrial agribusiness, the seed is an essential building block of culture. A fragile miracle of nature, the seed sprouts and feeds the hungry" says Mason.   Fiber artist, Cameron Mason ,works on a piece from her Blade series She goes on to say..."The Blades series explores shape as a metaphor for human interaction with the natural world. Obsidian, fractured into faceted shards from solid stone, creates a sharp, cutting edge. Hoes till and reap. We can focus on a single blade of grass in the expanse of a field for just a mom...

Dear friends: Like you, I watch in horror and disbelief as the unimaginable events continue to unfold in Japan. If you’ve been wondering what you can do to help... please let me direct you to Artists For Japan . This is a fundraising project headed up by five artists and art lovers on behalf of the many Seattle artists with connections to Japan.  If you are an artist you can donate your work. If you are looking for a way to help you can purchase original works of art knowing that 100% of the proceeds will go to aid our friends in Japan. I have donated these two encaustic paintings  along with a small gem painting. They will be available for purchase at  Kobo at Higo in Seattle's International District. Please help if you are able. Thank you friends!

OK friends… the show at TASTE is officially installed… the opening reception is tomorrow night from 5 to 6… and there is a new drink concoction on the menu: The Tormey Weather ! Come find out what’s in this creative cocktail and join me at the Seattle Art Museum for a very happy hour at TASTE.  Elements - Installed!   Emerald Fascination - Hanging in my studio before delivery.  Emerald Fascination - installed  on glass wall at TASTE.  Installation in progress!

Ooh la la…The Seattle Art Museum is opening a new Nick Cave exhibition! SAM presents: Nick Cave: Meet Me at the Center of the Earth . The show opens March 10 th and promises to be quite fantastical! I have long enjoyed the playful inventive works of Nick Cave and you can read a little more about him from a Blog post I wrote in 2009. The show will be up from March 10 to June 5 - Check out the SAM for more details.  In the spirit of the Nick Cave show, the SAM Gallery is featuring an exhibition called Transformations also opening this Thursday, March 10 th . Featuring several wonderful artists who recycle, re-purpose and reuse discarded materials to create their artwork. While were on the subject of the SAM… a reminder that my show at Taste Restaurant opens next Wednesday, March 16 th!  For a fun art-filled evening pop in for a cocktail and then head up to the Nick Cave exhibition! Sounds like a perfect evening of art to me!