In addition to introductory ‘bootcamps’, I am now offering a photo/collage class, where students can create mixed media encaustic art pieces, and also a new ‘encaustic play date’, where students can experiment, work on special projects, or do whatever they like. We’ve even gotten into alternate substrates lately, including plexiglass and ceramic bisque.

Public speaking has never been a problem for me, and I was thrilled to make two presentations about encaustic art this summer, at the Enchanted Lens Camera Club and the Rio Rancho Art Association. I had fun just getting ready for those presentations; researching techniques, history, and contacting working artists about their methods and also for their permission to show their works in my presentation. The presentations were a blast. I so enjoy explaining how encaustic art is made, and answering people’s questions. They are usually surprised about the variety of things that can be done with the medium.

My real love is teaching, and I am always amazed by the creativity and artistic abilities of my students.  Some are more adventurous than others, and I think our small groups allow a lot of encouragement, and sharing of ideas among the artists.

Here are some pieces done by students in 2012:

It is an interview with the late Paul Reynard, a French-born painter who taught at New York City’s School of Visual Arts.  The interview is entitled “Beyond Beauty” and is from Material for Thought.

Here is an excerpt:

PR: The final purpose of a work of art is not entertainment, but the transmission of, or an opening to, an inner mystery that the painter, the composer, or the sculptor feels compelled to explore through his own craft. Something is then expressed in a language without words that speaks directly to your heart, and you feel yourself “in question,” as so many people have felt when looking at the Lascaux paintings or the Mona Lisa.

MFT:You mentioned love. How do you see the relationship between love and art?

PR: One is contained within the other, you might say. When viewing a great work of art, you respond to the call of a concealed, invisible vibration which is beyond the notion of beauty. You feel invited to share this vision, even to participate in a process where the center of gravity is in the feelings. It is very much like being in love.

MFT: When you say you feel yourself “in question” in front of the Mona Lisa, what do you mean?

PR: It is not a question for the mind. It is a state. I am struck by what Andre Malraux had to say. He defined a work of art as something that has “a present.” The Mona Lisa was painted centuries ago, and yet one recognizes that something is still present. In contemplating this very old painting, you meet something that was present at the time it was painted and is still present the moment you see it. What is behind it that finds an echo in me now? How can such a piece of art pass through centuries without losing its power?

MFT: Would you say that the great work of art acts to change one’s state?

PR: Sometimes, yes, if I am sensitive enough, I may receive an impression of a sort of timelessness.

Please go HERE to read the entire article.  You’ll be glad you did.

We had a super group of very talented and adventurous ladies which allowed us to explore many techniques including stencils, ‘dry’-brushing, sgraffito, stamping, embedding, and a couple of methods for including images and other materials.  We even went outdoors and played with fire to see what kind of effects we could get.

In fact, we do SO much in these day-long workshops, they will now be called “Bootcamps”.  I will be scheduling bootcamps beginning in January 2012, and am currently evaluating possible locations, so stay tuned to find out the when and where.

Thanks to all my lovely students, and happy holidays to all!

Generally, you’re purchasing an object you like.  Something that resonates with you, makes you feel a certain way.  Inspired, serene, excited, validated, whatever.  Maybe you just like the colors or the balance in the composition.  Maybe it makes you smile, or laugh, or reminds you of a certain place or event or feeling.  You may not really know why you have the attraction to a piece.  What you know for sure is – you just like it and want it in your life.

What you’re getting, perhaps without realizing it, is the artist’s vision or design or intention.  Your perception of the piece and reaction to the artwork may well have been planned by the artist prior to or during its creation.  Sometimes that perception is helped along by other works if it is part of a series, or by the title, as can be the case with more abstract pieces.  Sometimes an artist will set out from the very beginning to create a certain response in you, the viewer and buyer.  Other times, the artist may begin to get a certain feeling about a piece while it is in progress, and then work to make sure that feeling is conveyed to you. Even in the most abstract work, there is some sort of intention.  Your response may not be exactly what the artist was driving at, but that’s okay too.  We all react differently to everyday things.  Words, weather, music, colors, foods – we all have our own preferences and reactions.

Part of what you pay for is the materials and processes used in the artwork.  Bronze and silver sculptures are quite costly for the artist to produce when the cost of the metals and the use of a foundry are considered.  A charcoal sketch on paper in a metal frame uses less costly materials and processes.  Does this determine the price?  Not so much. If all you were buying was the materials and tools, you’d have an art project, not an artwork.

Is the price based on the time spent making the piece?  Well, if you mean just the time creating the one piece from start to finish, then no. Artists have overhead like all other business people – studio rent and utilities, marketing costs, phone and internet fees, licensing fees, office supplies, taxes, etc.  So to charge say, an hourly rate on each piece of artwork, would be great but it doesn’t take the entirety of the job into account. What you’re really paying for is the difference between that pile of materials and the finished artwork: THE ARTIST.

The artist was born with a certain amount of talent, to be sure.  Not everyone cares to be creative. We don’t all have ‘the eye’ for composition and color that make a good work great.  But talent alone isn’t enough.  An artist must learn his or her craft well; some have university degrees, many are self-trained, and others learn directly from masters in the medium they want to work in. We all know what it takes to get really good at something: practice, and lots of it. Years of hard work and honing of skills have gone into the development of the artist’s many abilities and talents that created the piece you fell in love with.

And finally, there’s beauty and meaning.  Creating an object of beauty begins in the artist’s mind. Artists like to experience a lot of varied things.  They are often quite passionate and involved in other arts like music and theater, and also in their communities.  Some are social critics and you can find their opinions in their artwork.  Even those artworks that are made to evoke reactions such as shock or outrage are, in their own way, beautiful.  They are certainly meaningful. They create an intended reaction because of the artist’s message they convey. Sure, lots of folks in a variety of fields have university degrees and years of practice and training.  And some of them bring meaning and beauty to our lives. But none so much as the artist.

So what you’re paying for in most cases, is meaning and beauty, the many years of training and experience, the passion and intention of the artist, the focused hard work to convey that message to you, and the time dedicated by the artist to develop the work, complete it, and bring it to market where you could find it.  These things are behind the beauty you find in the artwork that brings you such joy. It’s not going to be as cheap as framed poster from a big box store, but it will be so much more meaningful and you will cherish it for far longer.  There is a reason we have museums filled with fine art, not posters.  We fill concert halls to hear fine music and see a beautiful dance performed because art nourishes us in a way that is difficult to describe, but certainly has a purpose and meaning that everyone can appreciate.  When you buy a piece of original art, you are supporting the arts in your community, and what could be finer?

Well, here.  You can see for yourself. These are Mellany’s creations:

Here is one by Robert:

Of course, once my students were well into their own work, I stole some time to do a little bit of painting myself during the day.

"Air"

"Sacred"

It was a great time, and I learned from my students, which is always a good thing for a teacher.

The first is based on a classic poem by an American poet:

And this one was inspired by a particular kind of movie experience:

Get inspired!

A multi-part event in New Mexico, Mining the Unconscious, includes three gallery shows, with a finale at the Encaustic Art Institute. I have completed a piece I will be submitting for the show:

"Major Tom", encaustic painting

It started with the idea of the archetype and how that is held in the collective unconscious.  That somehow got me thinking about the idea of adventure, which lead then to space and the archetype of the adventurer, or better yet, the astronaut!  What a fantastic hero for a collective dream!  Well, this may be something the astronaut dreamt, or maybe I dreamt of being an astronaut.  Does it matter?

For those of you in the ABQ/Santa Fe area, here are a couple of interesting and related events scheduled for July 15 and July 22:

“Artists on Art” series probes why artists create

Even before written history, human beings manifested an undeniable urge to make marks on all kinds of surfaces.  Witness the cave art from Lascaux, Altamira and that more recently captured by Werner Herzog in his fascinating documentary, “Cave of Forgotten Dreams.”  The more than 30,000-year-old drawings in Chauvet Cave, Ardeche, France, not only predate written history, but also perspective.  Yet their makers have eloquently captured motion and form and evidence a real understanding of anatomy.  As we view them in 3-D, they come alive–as alive as if they were drawn yesterday.  And we respond.  Why?  Why were they made?  And why do humans continue their endless mark making even now?

“Why do Artists Make Art?” probes the reasons for our frenetic desire to make marks and create art.  It is the first in a series of three “Artists on Art” talks by contemporary “mark makers,” whose works are part of three “Mining the Unconscious” exhibitions unfolding in Santa Fe and Cerrillos. The exhibitions and talks, offered free of charge to the public, are among more than 20 other community programs that compose the Mining the Unconscious project.   (For details: www.miningtheunconscious.org)

Moderator for “Why do Artists Make Art?” , slated for Friday, July 15th, is artist Donna Ruff.  She is a contributing faculty member at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design.  She has challenged her panelists not to give the obvious “Because I have to”  answer, but to dig deeper by asking themselves what happens when they don’t make art?  was art valued and practiced in their families?  why did they choose their particular form of expression and their materials? do they consider their work a spiritual practice? and many other challenging thoughts that evoke a deeper response.  Panelists include Santa Fe artists Lisa de St. Croix, Taylor Oliver and Eliza Schmid, as well as Albuquerque artists Raymond Petersen and Barbara Shapiro.

The second “Artists on Art” program explores “How does art affect/reflect culture?”  It’s slated for Friday, July 22 and panel moderator is Kathleen McCloud.  McCloud is a visual artist and writer/audio producer for museum exhibitions, including the Vancouver Art Gallery, Dayton Art Institute and Herbert Johnson Museum/Cornell University as well as for multiple programs for the Library of Congress.  Her panelists include Farmington artist Michael Billie, Santa Fe artists Sallyann Paschall and  Iris Vazquez and Jemez Springs artist Betsie Miller-Kusz. The panelists have been asked to address how ritual fits into their work, whether landscape holds symbols and information unique to an area, impacting  the culture of that place, and whether their art addresses contemporary culture or speaks more to myth.
“What is the role of the unconscious in creativity?” is the concluding program in the “Artists on Art “series.  Its panel is moderated by Anne Farrell, Retired Chair of Media Arts for the Santa Fe Community College.  Farrell’s panelists include Albuquerque artist Ralph Greene and Santa Fe artists Joe Griffo, John Hogan, Caroline Williams and Stan Yeatts.  Panelists will bring the Mining the Unconscious discussions full circle as they address the role of the unconscious in their own work.

All “Artists on Art” dialogs begin at 7:00 PM at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design Annex , 1600 St. Michael’s Drive and will conclude by 9:00 PM

The Earth Mudra

Here is a detail of the face:

Detail - The Earth Mudra

Dalai Lama, wax encaustic painting by Sharon Sperry Bloom

I’m continuing my representational work with portraits of people who inspire me.

For now, anyway.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I also touched up the portrait of the girl a little bit and added a soft light-colored background.  Since she was my first venture into representational work, I named her Jenesis.

Jenesis

I have prepped some more boards with rabbit skin glue and am ready to start some new portraits. Wish me luck and confidence.