The encaustic medium is magical, vibrant and translucent.  My creative muse guides, inspires and feeds my soul through this medium, mixed media and collage.  Blessing me with endless moments of creative joy and harmony...providing those ahhaa moments about life.  Join me on this creative journey, spend some time reading my musings about this life, the blessed other souls that come into contact with mine, however brief or often, that can leave everlasting imprints on our journey....perhaps our lives might share some similarities, bringing us closer and more connected...and less isolated.

"I suppose there is one friend in the life of each of us who seems not a separate person, however dear and beloved, but an expansion, an interpretation, of one's self, the very meaning of one's soul." ~ Edith Wharton

Here's to finding those expansive moments.....

Thursday, October 27, 2011

BOOKS-BOOKS-BOOKS ...for the love of books....

Found this great site today.....check it out..if you love books, you have found a slice of heaven here....
http://fuckyeahbookarts.tumblr.com/

Books are on the brain...I am excited about teaching "The Altered Book" at the 6th International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown, MA, in June 2012....


Details about this session:  The Altered Book
This session will demonstrate how to create a work of art out of an old book, using including encaustic medium, pigment sticks, and a variety of collage elements, such as Japanese papers, found objects, mixed media and organics. Specifically discussed will be the types of books that can be altered, what to consider when choosing books, the binding, spine applications and the types of papers within the books. Many examples of finished altered books will be shared and examples of books that are problematic from a technical standpoint will also be shared with the audience. Supria will also show you her personal favorite: how to use mica as a window within the book cover.

Here is some more great information on this need to attend event - registration is open now... THE ENCAUSTIC CONFERENCE

Joanne Mattera founder & Director of the International Encaustic Conference & Cherie Mittenthal executive Director of Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill are please to announce that Registration is now open.
THE SIXTH INTERNATIONAL ENCAUSTIC CONFERENCE 
Number Six!

Welcome to the Sixth International Encaustic Conference. This is a conference of firsts: the first annual event devoted to the serious study of encaustic; the first international event, drawing artists from the U.S. and Canada, plus Mexico, Latin America, Scandinavia, Europe, Australia, Norway and New Zealand; and the first event of its kind anywhere to place encaustic within the context of contemporary art. It’s also the largest encaustic conference anywhere. Allow us to kvell for a moment when we say that it draws the best teachers, the most talented artists, and nicest group of folks you’ll ever meet. And it has a Vendor Room that’s as close to heaven as you’ll find on earth.

The Conference, in co-production with Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, now makes its home in one of the most beautiful locations on earth—Provincetown, at the tip of the great arm of Massachusetts. Opportunities for learning, sharing, networking, creative collaboration and entrepreneurship have grown each year. This year there are more talks and demos; an earlier start time; another Friday afternoon extravaganza—this year, Print-a-Palooza; an expanded Sunday morning Hotel Fair; and three days of Pre-Conference workshops in addition to the five days of Post-Con. The workshops will take place at Castle Hill in Truro.

Provincetown is a gallery town—it’s the oldest continuous art colony in the United States—and we expect to have an expanded range of exhibition opportunities. A number of galleries, excited by our presence last year, are eager to be part of the excitement. We’ll have our juried show at Kobalt Gallery again this year. And at Castle Hill we’ll have two invitational exhibitions: Cherie is curating an show of encaustic work on paper, while artist and teacher Supria Karmaker is organizing a small show of artists’ books.

So the short of it is that there’s much to learn, to do, to see, to experience. Pray for sun, but know that whatever the weather, this Conference promises to a bright spot in your art year.

-- Joanne Mattera, founder and director

-- Cherie Mittenthal, director, Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Here are some much better photographs of these pieces...and a new piece Silver Essence, 36 x 36

"Silver Essence", Encaustic Mixed Media,  36 x 36, 2011

"Wide Open", Encaustic Mixed Media, 6 x 12, 2011

"Listening to Heart's Whispers", Encaustic Mixed Media, 6 x 12, 2011

"A Different Journey Knocking on My Heart", Encaustic Mixed Media, 6 x 12, 2011

"Roots of Change Bloom", Encaustic Mixed Media, 6 x 12, 2011