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"Every good painter paints what he is."--Jackson Pollock

Monday, July 16, 2012

EncaustiCamp Day 1: A Smashing Success

My first day at EncaustiCamp 2012 was a full day with Jess Greene and her new class "Bare Soul in Wax: Exploring 2-1/2 D". I read the course description and thought to myself...."can I really find it in myself to smash into a painting, midstream?"....I don't know about this!

Jess started the morning off with a discussion about her research into methods of art therapy. She made it very clear that she has no training as an art therapist, but finds the topic very interesting. We then spent a few minutes working through a guided writing exercise, which helped clear our minds for the coming project.

Working on 10"x10" cradled birch panels, we spent the remainder of the morning working with the wax: painting and building layers, adding collage elements, working with stencils, etc. Then, just before lunch Jess took us all outside with hammers and chisels and directed us to find a spot on our painting and smash into it! WOW!....that felt g-o-o-d! Gluing small jewelry boxes on the back of the birch panels, we left our paintings out to dry in the shade.

After lunch, we worked on filling our caverns with paper, wax and other found objects. I had spent the previous two days traveling down the Oregon coast and had collected some objects from nature (lichen, dried moss, and pine cones). I used these objects to tie the painting all together, incorporating them into the trauma site. The result was a wonderful release of emotions, and a reflection on the journey I had just taken....one of solitude in nature.

Sharing our paintings, in an informal circle bared our souls a little more. More than once, I was brought to tears by the stories shared by my fellow artists. Jess: thank you for a unique and wonderful experience, and for pushing my boundaries!

Live the dream:) Brenda

8 comments:

  1. I love your piece, Brenda. Well done!

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  2. So the board is now a box? It sounds very cool.

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    1. The cradled panel board now has a small box embedded in the back (not seen) to help support the wax and items that I wanted to fill the gaping hole with. It was a lot of fun and very cathartic!

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  3. I love love love :) and I got to see it in first person !!!

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  4. Stunning...so rich...it speaks in a way that 2-D panels simply cannot! Well smashed, Brenda!

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