Introduction to Encaustic Painting

September 7, 2013
10 am – 4 pm
$150 (all supplies included)
Bloom! an art escape
2128 HWY 101 N, Yachats, OR 97498 Studio 1

Learn the basics of working with encaustic in a hands-on exploration of this ancient wax art form. Encaustic is composed of beeswax, resin and pigment, applied hot, and fused to produce works that are translucent, sculptural and rich. After learning a brief history of encaustic, students will learn to make encaustic medium, color mixing, basic fusing techniques and layering.

The goal of this one-day workshop is to become comfortable with encaustic and finish 1-2 pieces of artwork. If you have always wanted to try encaustic this introduction is a great way to get started! All supplies are included.

To register email sandymier@gmail.com or call 541-547-3233 or 602-677-4768.

When I was asked to be in the Green Revolution show at Tempe Center for the Arts I was also asked to teach a family workshop inspired by my artwork. To create my artwork I use wax, photography and found objects. This Recycled Collage project for children and adults uses simpler materials that can create a very similar result. This project is great because you don’t need all new materials from the art store to create a fun, exciting piece of art. You can even improvise if you don’t have some of the materials. For the workshop I taught at Tempe Center for the Arts we used recycled book boards instead of cardboard boxes because I found them at the Art Resource Center.

For this project you will need:

• Old Magazines – I used copies of National Geographic I found at a resale shop
• Old Cardboard Boxes (cut down to 8 x 8 inches, use the side without graphics)
• Crayons or Pastels
• Glue Stick
• Scissors
• String, pipe cleaners or garden wire
• Pine cones, tree bark or any other interesting think you find outside (preferably without dirt or bugs)
• Sharp Pencil

Step 1

Take a walk around your neighborhood or visit the park and pick up interesting organic material. I love tree bark but anything that won’t wilt, like fresh flowers and leaves, will work. Try looking for pine cones, dried seed pods or sticks. Tip: if you think there may be bugs in your found objects, place it in the microwave for a few seconds.

Step 2

Flip through old magazines and tear out the pages you like. To create a collage like mine choose one landscape photo and cut it in half. You can also choose multiple pictures and cut them to whatever size you like. Glue the magazine images to the side of your cardboard without graphics.

Step 3

Use crayons or pastels to draw shapes or pictures next to the magazine photos (or on top of them). To create a collage like mine draw shapes you find in your magazine photo.

Step 4

Choose where you want to place the object you found outside on your cardboard. Using the pencil poke 2 holes in the cardboard where you want to place the object. Wrap your string, pipe cleaners or garden wire around your object and through the 2 holes. Turn the cardboard around and tie the string, pipe cleaners or garden wire to hold the image in place.

That’s it! You’ve just created a wonderful piece of art using mostly recycled or found materials. If you are like me you couldn’t choose just one object when you walked around outside. You might have to make another collage…

This 32-page book includes activities such as word puzzles, coloring my paintings or navigating mazes to get my artwork into the Guggenheim, LACMA, MOMA and the Tate. You can digitally flip through the book here:

Ways to enter:

• Look through my website and comment back here saying which painting is your favorite.
• Like my Facebook page and comment back here saying you did.
• Sign-up for my newsletter (sign-up in the right column) and post back here saying you did.
• Share this giveaway on your blog or Facebook and comment back here saying you did.

I’m excited about sharing my modern art Coloring & Activity book! This give away closes May 31, 2013 at midnight PST. I will be announcing the winner on June 1, 2013.

Heat is also part of my recent body of work, inspired by forest fires. My original interest in forest fires was because the land where my husband grew up was hit by the largest forest fire in Arizona history. Then, right after we moved to Bend the Pole Creek Fire hit Sisters, Oregon. Fire brings us destruction and rebirth, my work is about what is precious, natural and unnatural.

Artwork from Left to Right

1. “Geographies of Memory” 24 x 24 x 2.5, mixed media encaustic
2. “Burn, Broil, Bark” 10 x 10, mixed media encaustic, SOLD
3. “Desaturation” 10 x 10, mixed media encaustic
4. “Assessing the Damage” 20 x 16 x 1.5, mixed media encaustic
5. “Disparate Species” 24 x 24 x 2.5, mixed media encaustic

I know I’ve referenced a lot of austere things but ultimately I love this piece. It’s small, bright and fun – like my aunt!

“The tumor is VERY little”
encaustic and mixed media on wood
8.25 x 7.5 inches
$175

Over the winter the mountain bike trails in Bend, Oregon were muddy so I rode my bike on the road. I frequently went on Skyliner Road leading up to Tumalo Falls, it was a steady climb on the way out so I had plenty of time to stare at the ground. I noticed the road was fairly new but the elements were already deciding the asphalts fate and cracks were emerging. And to me the cracks created the most interesting shapes. They were evidence of nature groaning at humans trying to control her landscape. One afternoon I had to get off my bike and take photos, here is one of them:

I use my own photography as inspiration for all of my acrylic work. I use the photo to create the composition and resolve the color palette. Then I mix my paints and begin painting in my straight edge style. Here is a finished painting alongside the original sketch.

So far the cracks in the road have inspired three paintings.

“Cracked Skyline I”
acrylic on canvas
20 x 20 x 2 inches
Click here to email me for pricing.

“Cracked Skyline II”
acrylic on canvas
20 x 20 x 2 inches
Click here to email me for pricing.

“Cracked Skyline III”
acrylic on canvas
20 x 20 x 2 inch panels, diptych
Click here to email me for pricing.

From the Bathed in Fire series:

The destructive force that burned through areas of Arizona and New Mexico earlier this year scorched the land my husband grew up on in the White Mountains of Arizona. The Wallow fire didn’t take family photo albums or ranch structures but it changed the landscape so we can only visit scars within our lifetime. Bathed in Fire captures imagery, wood and soot from Rudd Creek, Riggs Mountain and the brome fields at Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area. The work is about what is precious, natural and unnatural.

Lisa Marie Sipe, 24 x 24 x 2.5, encaustic, photography, rock and tree bark

From the Bathed in Fire series:

The destructive force that burned through areas of Arizona and New Mexico earlier this year scorched the land my husband grew up on in the White Mountains of Arizona. The Wallow fire didn’t take family photo albums or ranch structures but it changed the landscape so we can only visit scars within our lifetime. Bathed in Fire captures imagery, wood and soot from Rudd Creek, Riggs Mountain and the brome fields at Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area. The work is about what is precious, natural and unnatural.

Lisa Marie Sipe, “Bee in One’s Bonnet,” 24 x 24, encaustic on wood

Installation photos from the SouthwestNET: Painting exhibition:

The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art is located in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information visit smoca.org.