Let it Be Encaustic Process

My buddy Randy curates some awesome shows around town. This time it was "Album of the Year," which opened Friday at Studio Le Beau in Tremont (an adorable suburb of Cleveland, Ohio). For this show, we all created 12x12 tributes of our favorite album covers. We of the Rust Belt Monster Collective also used this for our Week 18 challenge topic.

Awesome Poster by Ms. Ashley Ribblet

  I chose to illustrate the Beatles' "Let it Be". 

To create my album cover, I first rendered the image in charcoal on Arches Hot Press 300gsm Watercolor Paper (right now, this is the only paper I use on for charcoal works).

The paper is attached to a drawing using drafting tape. I don't like this tape as much as my usual artist tape (which the store was out of) for 2 reasons: 1) It is lighter and not as sticky, which makes maintaining clean lines more difficult and 2) it is yellow instead of white, which makes you view the color of your work differently.

I spray fixed the drawing, cut it out of the sheet of paper with an x-acto knife, and grabbed a watercolor-paper covered 12x12 hardboard panel I had prepped earlier. This panel had to have an absorbent sheet of paper attached to it since it had come pre-gessoed and encaustic wax does not stick to acrylic gesso.

I then heated up some encastic medium (beeswax mixed with damar resin) on the ole' George Foreman and poured a layer of wax on to the panel. My assistant (boyfriend) and I then used a heat gun to keep the wax liquid long enough to let it soak through the drawing. This basically glues the paper to the wood and "fuses" the wax, making it stronger, smoother, and harder. It also is the most difficult part since the wax cools very quickly. Definitely a 2 person job.

George Foreman commandeered from the Boyfriend... Sorry Ron

Here is the drawing covered in Wax. I love all the cool textures we got! Notice how I accidentally cut it a little too small for the panel... whoops...

Waxy!

And then I painted over the wax in oils! Hmm... I bet you want to see that part. Head over to the Rust Belt Monster Collective site to check it out!

Here is a preview:

Cameron in the Roses

Cameron in the Roses • 2011 • 8 in x 8 in

Charcoal, Colored Pencil, Gouache, Acrylic paint, Metal Leaf and Encaustic Medium on Paper Mounted to board. 

First Place BAYart's Fall Juried Show 2011

In a private collection

Waxing Poetic

Waxing Poetic • 2011 • 5in x 5 in

Oil paint and Encaustic in a cradled wooden panel with embedded handmade paper

On exhibit at Kendal at Oberlin until May 9th, 2012

BEST IN SHOW!!!!

I have some very exciting news...

My painting, "Modern Pixie" won BEST IN SHOW at BAYart's Spring Juried Show!
I am still a little in shock...

If that wasn't enough...the gallery director told me that BOTH of my entered paintings were actually up for the award - which is CRAZY! The judges eventually decided to give "Modern Pixie" best in show and "Crown Wearer" first place, but when they found out that both paintings were by the same artist they rightfully changed their mind so that more artists could be honored.

Here are the two paintings in the show:

the WINNER!

I couldn't be more thrilled!

A veteran sculptor we met at the opening, Louise, asked the question that was most on my mind after I got over the shock of winning: "So, where do you go from here?" ....Goooood question....

In this month alone I was in 5 shows (Small Good Things, Dewey's Coffee Shop, A Study in Wanderlust, BAYart's Juried Show and BAYart's Faculty Show), won a major award, and sold about a third of my inventory. If that isn't proof that I have something here worth pursuing, I'm not sure what would be. So I think the next steps in this career are the following:

1. I need to develop a better internet presence for my gallery work (and illustration too while I'm at it). This means hiring someone to build me a website. I could do it myself, but I don't know enough to make it a smooth build and I would rather spend my limited time making artwork than struggling through the learning process. I also now have a Facebook page for my work. Check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/ErinInArtLand
2. I need to pursue gallery representation in other cities. I think that the truest test of my work will be to see if it could survive in venues that are unfamiliar with me. Starting in baby steps, I will try to seek out galleries in other cities to show my stuff. Pittsburgh and Columbus - I'm looking at you.
3. I should enter my work in more prestigious competitions. So far, most of the awards of my professional career has come from one place. I am incredibly grateful to BAYarts for all they've done for me - and of course I'll continue to support them - but I think I've got something here and I need to find other places to showcase it. You never know till you try, right?

 So that's my plan in a nutshell. This has been a crazy ride so far and though it hasn't been without it's bumps (some bigger than others) - I can't wait to see where it'll take me.

One more time.... EEEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!! BEST IN SHOW!! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG! hahaha

BAYarts Faculty Show

The art center where I teach is having a faculty show. We were all asked to contribute one water-related piece. I chose to do an encaustic, since it is a good representation of one of my more unique classes.


Before:

and After:

Oil and Water • Oil, Encaustic and Mixed Media • 8in x 8in

 Come see it live, as well as many other incredible pieces, at the show opening this Friday at BAYarts!

The next class I teach is called, "Costume Cabaret" and is a fun spin on figure drawing / painting and staging illustrations. The class starts on March 20th and runs until May 15th. Here is more information (You can sign up for classes online here):

Costumed Cabaret (Mar 20-May 15)

Instructor: Erin Schechtman

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

6:30-9:00 pm

teens and adults

March 20-May 15 (NO CLASS APRIL 10)

Costumed Cabaret: Drawing and Painting the Clothed Figure

Throughout art history, costumes have played an important role in defining the message of any given painting. In this exciting new class, students will have a unique opportunity to tell stories in their work by painting and drawing from costumed models. Special emphasis will be placed on composition, lighting, illustration, and props. Possible themes include: Victorian, Swinging Twenties, Cabaret, SciFi and others. Students should expect to work in both charcoal on newsprint and in oil paint.

member $175   non-member $190 (model fee included)

member registration - February 25
open registration - March 3

Hope to see you there!

You are Invited!

I am thrilled to invite you to the opening night of my two-person gallery show at BayArts: Small Good Things.

For this show, ceramicist Sue Kirchgessner and I spent a year developing artwork that reminds us of summer. I created realistic figurative paintings in oil paint and encaustic (beeswax) and floral mixed media pieces that have glowing, gilded accents. Sue made functional ceramic lanterns and beautiful tableware covered in elaborate nature vignettes. The resulting body of work is both playful and powerful and we can't wait to share it with you. Please come celebrate with us.

Friday, February 10th 2012 • 7 to 9 pm
BayArts is located within Huntington park
28795 Lake Road • Bay Village, Ohio 44140
440-871-6543

"Small Good things" will be on display until March 3rd.

An artist talk will follow on Sunday, February 19th 2012 at 2 pm.
Preview our work at http://potteryandpaint.blogspot.com/.

Hope to see you there!