Can’t stop experimenting!

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Oil Pigment stick and encaustic on wood panel.

Oil Pigment stick and encaustic on wood panel.

I don’t remember where I saw these oil paint sticks…oh, yep I do, one showed up in my Pigment and Palette box awhile back. Just white, and I picked it up to use it on the urchin painting….and it worked great! Then I did a little research and they looked like a lot of fun. One thing led to another and before you know it I have a starter set of colors.

Well, they are fun, but boy are they messy! My first attempt was more mess than anything. After a little more research I became a little more disciplined and set up my space so that I could keep the mess to a minimum. I decided to try them with the encaustic this time. I really like how they work. I added the first layer with my fingers (protecting my skin with gloves) and then fused the layers and used a brush to apply the pigment after that (a tiny brush, as I was working small). This set came from R&F–they are very nice. R&F Pigment Sticks Website

I think I will try a larger painting next. The great thing about this medium is, no solvents needed, no concerns of fat over lean (like oil paint) and quicker drying time. Mixes well with oil paint as well.

Cone Flowers

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Working the cone flower: watercolor pencil and blue fountain pen

Working the cone flower: watercolor pencil and blue fountain pen

I need more cone flowers in the garden! They are so wonderful, they draw in the bees, the butterflies, the moth’s all the pollinators seem to love them. After some research it seems that they come in some really nice colors too! My mother tells me that I have cone flowers that are native to Maine…the droopy kind. Next year I think I will add some new varieties. In the meantime, it’s nice to have these around for a little while.

Quick sketch: flower journal

Quick sketch: flower journal

Really enjoying sketching a little plein air! This is the most perfect time in Maine, and great for sitting outside with your art supplies. Nice temperatures, mostly not too hot, not too cold. It will be gone soon, so good to take advantage. I took a lot of photos of the butterfly and the cone flowers to use as reference for the winter months.

Summer Variety

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Sea Urchin: 4x4 panel, watercolor, encaustic, oil stick

Sea Urchin: 4×4 panel, watercolor, encaustic, oil stick

It’s a surprisingly nice feeling when someone appreciates your work enough to actually buy it! The piece was donated to our local library fundraiser–I decided to donate my sale 100% to the library–somehow it seemed the best thing to do considering I don’t sell my work yet. It wasn’t a high ticket sale, but so nice none-the-less to have another person enjoy it.

I am working on a bunch of really tiny pieces…4×4 cradled panels. The square is an interesting challenge–so far the work all seems to go well together–sheerly by accident, but I think that they will look good hanging together. Because I can’t settle down and just keep going with one medium I am also trying out some oil paint on wood panel.

Cone Flower: 4x4 on wood panel, watercolor and colored pencil

Cone Flower: 4×4 on wood panel, watercolor and colored pencil

Still experimenting with the encaustic–maybe it’s always going to feel that way. This piece I decided to just have fun with. I am starting to get the hang of the layering of color–the main image I scraped out with an old dental instrument–I was pleased with the way that worked out.

Jack-in-the-pulpit: encaustic on wood panel, 11x14

Jack-in-the-pulpit: encaustic on wood panel, 11×14

I want to move on and do a series with the cone flowers that are blooming. I have discovered that working plein air is actually pretty wonderful…but they aren’t going to last as long as I need them to!

Afternoon Shadows at Fort Point Lighthouse: SOLD!!!

Afternoon Shadows at Fort Point Lighthouse: SOLD!!!

Busy Summer Days

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Jellyfish: watercolor and fountain pen

Jellyfish: watercolor and fountain pen

I am so behind in everything related to making art. I feel like I am just dabbling around these days instead of getting anything serious done. Lots of visiting, boating, camping getting done though. And, lots of future inspiration from all the summer adventures. I am working on the following:

1. Finishing my large Jack-in-the-pulpit painting

2. Just started a large painting of the Fort Point lighthouse with two tree shadows

3. Encaustic experiments are on going

4. Daily sketching has been a challenge, need to discipline myself back to that