Strike

 

"Strike"

Image size 48" x 16"

Encaustic

I seem to always gravitate to blues in my encaustic paintings.  The encaustics have such a watery look so maybe that is why my palette is so limited.  Many times I start with other colors but the blues always work their way in....

Kiss the Shore

 

"Kiss the Shore"

Image size 9" x 12"

Encaustic

I had a small cradled board that I wanted to use so I created this painting.  Summer always makes me want to paint water so most of my paintings become ocean paintings, even if I start with a different idea.  

I added a bit of a shellac burn in the bottom of the painting to give some interesting texture.

White Spray

 

"White Spray"

Image size 12" x 24"

Encaustic

I had an encaustic painting that was done a few years ago that I really didn't care for so I decided to paint over it.  I have done that with many of my encaustics.  That's one of the things that is so much fun with encaustic.  A painting can always be modified or completely changed.  Having worked mostly in watercolor, I find that very freeing.

Blue Energy

 

"Blue Energy"

Image size 12" x 24"

Encaustic

My goal on this painting was to create a calming, yet energetic painting with an abundance of visual texture while having a smooth surface.  This is mostly encaustic with a little bit of oil paint added.

"Pond in the Round"

Image size 23.75 diameter

Encaustic

I painted this in March but have been really bad about posting paintings lately.  When I was planning this painting, I wanted to have it painted on a round piece of wood.  Since cradling a round piece of wood is not easy, I decided to get a 1/2" thick piece of plywood with a finished side of birch wood.  After I cut the shape, I added a 1.75" thick framework to the back so that this will hang that distance from the wall to add interest and dimension to the painting.  The framework is recessed to the point that the painting looks like it is floating.  I don't know how many layers are on this painting but I kept painting, thinking I was done, deciding that I wasn't, and adding more layers.  Finally, I declared it finished and am very happy with it.

 

Cascade

 

"Cascade"

Image size 48" x 12"

Encaustic

I'm really enjoying these long, skinny paintings in encaustic.  Don't we all have a wall that needs a painting with this shape?  This painting has encaustic, oil paints including some areas mixed with turpentine so that the paint will drip, and shellac burn.  Those additions create such great visual texture.

Turbulence

 

"Turbulence"

24" x 12"

Encaustic w/shellac burn

Here is another abstract using a lot of blues/browns.  I seem to be using those colors a lot lately.  They are such a soothing combination.  Well, actually this painting doesn't look so soothing, haha.  I decided to play around with some shellac burning on this one.  When seen in person, it is very dimensional with lots of colorful layers.

Effervescence

 

"Effervescence"

48" x 16"

Encaustic

I had fun with these free-form circles.  Before adding them I got the background built up with all of the layers that I wanted for depth.  Then it was time to play with the circles.

Our Ocean View

 

"Our Ocean View"

Image size 48" x 84"

Encaustic

This is the largest encaustic that I've painted so far.  I had so much fun working on it and am really happy with the result.  Below is a picture of it hanging in its new home.  

My clients and I discussed not only the size that the painting should be for the space but also how to break it up into a triptych.  We decided that a triptych with different size panels would be more interesting than one with identically sized panels.

Honestly, the reason for making this painting a triptych was so that it would fit into my car for delivery, but I think it is a much better painting because it is three panels.

Here are some close-ups so you can see some of the visual texture.

Cognition

 

"Cognition"

Image size 18" x 18"

Encaustic

I really fought with this painting.  My original concept was completely different and I wasn't happy with where it was going.  I added different colors thinking, "yeah, this will look really good", and being disappointed again...and again.  

The nice thing about encaustic is that I can continue to add wax and it just gets better and better.   For this painting, I used thin veils of color as I worked so the previous layers could be seen and added to the final result.  I am finally happy with it!