From my mother's house

 

Making art is like life, unpredictable. You never know how things will turn out or even what you will find interesting and absorbing.  This time last year I was in the midst of cluing up the closure of my mother's house as she prepared to moved to an assisted living home. If you are old enough to be involved in such life changes you already know that they are bitter sweet. One of the positives for me was finding all sorts to objects that had meaning to my mother and  family.

 While I had many ah ha moments, I was quite taken with Mom's collection of doilies.  Of course they are white (my current obsession) and  many were hand crafted (very important to me).  I couldn't see donating them to a charity, so I bundled them up and away we went. Since then they have been in my studio in a bag - I knew they were destined for art; only the what, how and why remained elusive. I'm moving along with them.  Here are my first creations:

Doily #1 (2014) encaustic on cradled panel , 8 x 8 in. Margaret Ryall

Doily #2, 2014, encaustic on cradled panel, 8 x 8 in. Margaret Ryall 

  Both works were created by using a doily as a stencil.  I built up a bed of natural white encaustic  in four layers.  Then I warmed the surface and pressed a doily in lightly so it wouldn't move about.   A final layer of encaustic was added  and after 2 minutes I carefully pulled the doily out to leave its impression .  The impression was enhanced with a light application and buffing of   R & F pearl pigment stick.

Where do I go from here?

This work seems to fit nicely in my current white series  that I've been working on for over a year.  Doily #1 & 2 do not need colour for interpretation.  They exist and are readable solely by texture. The small square format will allow me to present them in grid format as a sampler.  Fitting given the topic.

After a dry spell

I'm shocking myself by actually having something to share in the art arena.  Several weeks ago I went to an open studio at Torbay Bight Studio to work in encaustic.  I love the regulars who go to these events because they are friendly, funny and always up to something interesting.  I am still in my white stage (What if) which I  wrote about  last year.  I'll be in it for quite awhile if I don't get back to creating!

My What if series explores how ideas can be represented when colour and contrast are  removed  from the equation.  These new works are abstracted landscapes that rely mostly on texture to make their presence know.  The silvery sheen was created by rubbing  pearl pigment stick over the encaustic.  It shimmers like a pristine landscape in the winter sun.

 Landscape 1 (2014) mixed media encaustic , 6 x 6 in.

 Landscape 2 (2014) mixed media encaustic , 6 x 6 in.

 I see so many references to my summer life by the edge of the Atlantic ocean in a small fishing community in Newfoundland.  I never planned these at all.  They were spontaneous responses to a pile of materials I had with me.
 One of these days I will figure out how to actually photograph encaustic work.  These are looking so pinkish and they are actually white.

What's up?

It seems my whole art career during 2013 is in the stage of getting ready, but never really getting very far.  If doing everything related to art  counts I am in the thick of things. If  art production is the assessment criteria I'm a dismal failure!  I am involved in art related things thought.....

•  I wrote project  grant for the new body of work I've begun called Black or White.  Fingers crossed for funding. 
•  I taught  a two day encaustic workshop focusing on building complex surfaces using collograph and stencilling and learned lots myself while preparing .
•  I'm mounting and framing two bodies of work for two different shows at The Leyton Gallery , one in June and the other in the early fall.
• Finally, I am going to Europe for a month beginning the end of May.  I've spent lots of time deciding what galleries I want to visit. That I'm sure will lead to new work My trips always inspire me.  

I will be writing several posts related to stencilling, collograph and encaustic when I get a free moment.  My students created inspiring work using both techniques and we had a load of fun in the process.

It was such a pleasure to go to The Leyton Gallery's 10 anniversary show yesterday and see a piece created at my workshop. The ever delicate touch of Louise Sutton is always an inspiration.

  Louise Sutton, Far From Here, encaustic on panels,  2013

Who knew cotton lace could inspire such work....  

Louise and I will be in a show together this fall.   Interesting times ahead. 

Sentinel

 

 Failed  Fishery - Margaret Ryall

Time Changes, Butter Point, Jerseyside - Margaret Ryall

Growing up with access to a beach with a fishing stage nearby brought me in constant contact  with all sorts of angry ocean remnants. I continue to seek the sea's treats during the summer months on the beaches of my then and now homes.

 

 Keels, NL - Margaret Ryall

 Codfish bones remain one of my favourite things to find. 

 source

  They have such delicate fluted edges and the colour is a wheaty white. As a child we had funny names for  all the different bones and we found creative ways to use them in our play. 

 Sentinel (2013) mixed media  (codfish bone, paper, gesso, encaustic)  6 x 6 in.

This work stems from that period in my life.  Our original name for this bone was soldier, but age has moved my thinking along to Sentinel.  This is another work in my "Finding my way" series.

Finding my way

I am beginning a new series of work in encaustic and this is one of the exploratory pieces.  I am still experimenting and deciding so until I find out what I am actually up to I've named the series Finding My Way.

 The work is stemming from a temporary visual experience I had during cataract surgery when my lens was removed prior to having the new one  put in. You are looking into a bright light so the world becomes  fuzzy white.  The experience is both frightening and thought provoking. It brought a  lot of observations and questions with it.

 Without colour and contrast how would you represent the world?  What  art elements can you use?  How would you represent your thoughts?  .....

          What if ..... Beach Language  ( 2013 ) 12 x45 in.  encaustic, encaustic gesso, driftwood, glue

Saturday solutions

Monday problems from my previous post now have Saturday solutions!  My husband managed to cobble together a solution to my ventilation problem for encaustic.  Today I plan a test  run.  If is doesn't work we will have to go to a more elaborate set up with a vent hood and exterior exhaust.  Fingers crossed on this one.

 This dual fan has variable speeds and draws pretty well. 

Don measured the window casing and cut plywood so he could mount  the finished product  on the frame with two hinges.  Once the plywood was cut to size he placed the  fan on top of it  and traced around the edges.  Then a hole needed to be drilled to  cut out the fan shape with a jig saw.  An access hole for the plug must also be created.

 If I had been around when it was fabricated  I would have the fan as low to the edge of the window as possible so it would be closer to the palette.  I did not voice this after the fact!!

  I needed the set up on hinges so I could have access to the window to open and close it.  The window opens up to the top so there is plenty of air flow.   You can see how he built a frame  on the back to hold  the fan  in place and to also allow removal when I want to  move it  to my summer studio.   I have the perfect system there because the windows are table height and the  fan fits the window size.

A simple wooden bar on a screw lets me open and close the system.  I want to paint the whole thing  white so it isn't quite so unsightly.   Hint:  You need two hands to mount it, one to hold and one with the screw driver. Even then the screw often grabs and pulls the board up or down.  We had a little drop on the right side.

 I didn't even have to forgo my new vanity and it is almost ready for staining.  It was a productive week all around in the Ryall household.

Monday problems

Working in encaustic in Newfoundland's wind is not for the faint of heart.  It seems I am always fighting the movement of cold air into the studio. I need a secondary source of  fresh air  to replace what is lost by the  exhaust fan spinning like crazy sucking all the warm air out of  the house (according to my husband).  It's not an efficient system.  If the air is too cold the encaustic will not flow smoothly.  When it is windy the cold air blows back into the house around the fan.

  Window without the fan

I tried closing off part of the window with styrofoam which is easy to insert, but it blows down!

 Sometimes it is so windy the fan is  turning half as fast as it  should be.  Next the motors will burn out!     I want my husband to build a wooden frame around my new double  fan  I just purchased  to allow me to  insert  the whole thing into the window to cut any cold air coming in above my palette.  Fingers crossed.  I also have a new vanity for the bathroom on the to do list.  Now which do I want more?

While he's at it I need an extension added on to the top of my encaustic work space to accommodate the larger work I'm currently creating... 45 inches long.  Really, I'm working on a piece that is that long!

 

Echoes of Venice Series

Venice lives fresh in my memory since 2005 and its patterns and textures keep reappearing in my art work in the series Echoes of Venice. This series has been around since 2006 and I keep adding  adding small pieces to it.  I am even more focused on it this year because I return to Venice this June.  I anticipate a fresh batch of work.

 The old section of Venice is a treasure trove of patterns and textures.  Walking the narrow streets brings you in close proximity to walls and windows and you can't help notice what is around you.   Everything is within reach of your fingertips. Churches, galleries, shops and other historical attractions reek of gold and beautiful patterns.  Masks, hand made books, gowns, ornaments, fabrics - how can you not want to build all that lusciousness into your work. 

 Here's a peek  at two different  sets of work that keep getting added to. 

Two of  six which will be mounted side by side and framed as one.  Each piece is 4.5 x 6 inches.  I feel more of these in the offing.  

Then there's the newer work that is very neutral and light with a strong focus on pattern and texture.  Each piece is 6 x 8 and when complete they will be hung in grids of 9 (at least that's what I think now).  It seems I can only get the look I want in encaustic.

 This one is incomplete because the great divide needs to be filled but nothing is speaking right now. 

Picking up the pieces

I'm back from the encaustic conference and my extended holiday.  There's nothing like being exposed to lots of materials, art, artists and discussion to rev your mind into overdrive.  Sometimes having too many ideas is as bad as having none.

I'm packing away my new purchases and hoping the Visa bill doesn't arrive before the glow of purchasing wears off. You know how it is!

 

 It looks so insignificant but encaustic paint is pricey.

 

 My favourite - transparent colours

 Evans Encaustics ( I love the shimmer ones)

And these little beauties almost didn't make it past security in Toronto airport. When I said it was pigmented wax for painting I got quite a disbelieving look as he proceeded to swab it and report it wasn't a dangerous substance.  Good thing.

 

Kama ( a Canadian company in Montreal)

And two pigment sticks for monotype in encaustic.I love the fact they feel like a pencil; I seem to have better control with them. I already have 10 from my spree last year.  You can see I already had a go at paynes gray.

 My next step is to reread all my notes and make new ones.  That's how I synthesize my experiences and decide on a plan of action .

 

  In a week I leave for my summer house where I have a quiet studio overlooking the ocean.  It is contemplative and has great  light.  This is the first summer I'll bring out all my encaustic gear.  You might say it will be a hot summer.  

Here are some experiments for my  new series - Surfacing- poorly shot and cropped.

 16 x 16

And all of these are onl6 6 x 8

Who knows where these will all go.  My initial work usually morphs several times before I create the real work for the exhibition.

Road Trip

It's a lovely day  in St. John's as I put the finishing touches on my packing.  We're  setting  out for our 10 hour drive across the province to get the ferry to Nova Scotia.  Not my favourite part of this trip, but very necessary when you leave from the east side of NL.  It will take us three long days of driving to reach Boston  where I'm staying for three days before leaving for Provincetown and the encaustic conference and a two day workshop.Of course there will be tons of art viewing along the way.

 I have high hopes of coming back from this trip ready to create again.  My mind has already leaped ahead to a new series of work which will result in an exhibition.  I think Surfacing is a perfect title for my new series.

 

The image above is work number one and it's already at The Leyton Gallery.   I feel like the real me is surfacing again after all my health woes of the last six months.  Bring it on!

Where did April go?

I can't believe it  is almost May and I haven't posted in a month.  I'm also not reading about art and thus my absence in blogland.  I seldom go to the studio these days because I seem to have lost all interest in creating.  Am I worried about this? Not really.  I've had other times when I've felt this way and my inspiration has returned.

 I'm hoping my attendance at the International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown NJ at the end of May will ignite me again.  I thoroughly enjoyed the conference last year and came away with all types of things I wanted to experiment with.  This year I'm excited about a two day post conference  workshop with Catherine Nash that explores using paper with encaustic. It's a perfect fit for me because I already use lots of paper in my mixed media works.

I like Catherine's artist statement because her beliefs are similar to my own.

Creating images and objects of beauty and visual poetry that express reverence offers me grounding.  Enough time has passed by in my creative life to notice that I spiral through ideas and concerns.  I discover tiny roots of an idea were hidden in previous works, but have emerged in a different way.  Completely understanding a narrative while creating is not important. I’ve learned to not question the internal juxtaposition of imagery, to listen and let the work lead me.  A conversation with paper, wax, branches, brush, pen, saw and twine.

 Boat of Myself

Mixed media encaustic painting, 150 year old Japanese paper bought in a Kyoto flea market. Poem by Jelaluddin Rumi. 12” X 15”

Her work is diverse and often forays into three dimensional pieces.  Take a look.  I'm sure you'll be hearing more about her and the workshop. 

Creating texture in encaustic

One of my favourite attributes of encaustic is the ease with which you can create  surface textures.  I've been experimenting  using fabric and paper to create various effects.  Sometimes the exploration results in a completed work that I am proud of, and other times I end up with a sample board I use to illustrated points in encaustic workshops.

Starting with one piece of  patterned paper....

I began this piece with something totally different in mind as is often the way in art.  My interest in the patterns used in quilting and other hand crafts pervades my work in various ways.  This purchased paper in repetitive strips of patterns called to me.  I glued it on the panel with Yes Paste and added two coats of encaustic medium. It didn't inspire me in any way.  New road needed...  I began to cover up the patterns until only the white and black grid remained.

 

 That sparked me to find the scrap of tobacco netting a friend gave me and I was off to the races.

 

 Black and white #1, 2012, mixed media encaustic on cradled panel , 8 x 10 in.

 The grayish white area at the bottom and the black area at  top of the painting  was created with the netting and varying amounts of encaustic.  I let the white /black grid show through and then added the white squares using a stencil. 

Take one piece of white lace and ....

 
 attach it to the board using  black  encaustic.  Add several  more layers of  black  and then change to  red.  Fuse each layer.  When the pattern is completely covered with encaustic stop  and let cool.
Using a large blade scrape back to reveal the original pattern of the lace. A great sample board to show how to build up designs with fabric.you need two colours to show up the pattern.

Start with a very delicate paper..

Add layers of green encaustic and then blue and scrape away  to reveal the circular shapes with a blade.  The  raised grid is added using a stencil.

Ocean # 1 , 2012, encaustic and paper on cradled panel, 8 x 8 in.

Dragging in encaustic monotype

 Dragging is an interesting technique  in encaustic  monotype. 

•  apply a design to the hot palette ( I use Rand  F palette) using pigmented encaustic ( I use R and F)
• place your paper on top of the design and use a barren to ensure all the encaustic is absorbed into the paper; experiment with various types of paper
•  take two corners of the paper and drag the paper in a circular motion.  It is a very random act and you don't know what will happen to the original design. It is also interesting to drag vertically or horizontally or in partial circles. 
•  clean your palette and  apply a second colour in places ( I like metallics for this step) and place the same print down again to pick up a second layer by dragging
•   repeat this step several times adding more visual information to the original monotype. 

Stamping to create pattern in encaustic

2010 Tangled,  Sorted, Revealed, Woven (8 x 8 in.) mixed media encaustic

Decorative patterning is a motif in much of my work even when the work isn't about patterning. 

I use various techniques to build up patterns in encaustic. To date fabrics and papers were my favoured materials. My latest explorations involve creating and using stamps.  The previous post shows stamps I created from embossed paintable wallpaper samples.    Right now I developing a "store" of these papers to use in later compositions.  So I am free to play to my heart's delight.

 Positive Stamping

1. Create a background surface using basic monotype  techniques in encaustic (see youtube video in previous post)
2. Use part of palette to lay down a bed of coloured encaustic to dip the stamp in.
3. Place paper on hot palette. 
4. Take up encaustic on stamp and then stamp it onto the prepared paper. The paper has to be on the palette  If you try to do it on the table the encaustic will dry before you get it to the paper.

Stamp used

 Stamping with similar colour as background at top.  At bottom you can see the faint traces of stamping with white.  I like the subtle nature of this.

 High contrast

 Decorative overlay in gold over a vibrant monotype

A new stamp

 Stamped in gold over a ghost print made with  cadmium red and bits of blue.  I then hand painted more blue between the gold stamping and greatly modified the original design.  This has possibilities because I am modifying/changing the original into my own interpretation.  Doing this in repeats (layers) creates a totally new design. This is a technique I use in acrylic when I start with an image transfer.

 More over stamping using gold.

A new stamp

 Over stamping a previous print

Negative Stamping

1. Lay down a bed of encaustic on palette.
2. Place stamp into the bed of colour (encaustic will be stamped with the pattern removing some of it)
   
3. Take a print from the palette.
   

Stamp seems to be on the missing list!

you can see that the stamp removes the encaustic from the plate in a very interesting way leaving an outline of white around it.  I've just begun to play with the possibilities of negative stamping.  Stay tuned for more adventures.