The Practice and Process of Making Art
The process of art making is a curious matter. An artist beings a work with very little; perhaps a vague idea or a small sketch. Then, using the language of visual expression and myriad experience, creates a unique work of art. Below are several of my unique techniques explained.
Austin Station
24 x 48 Mixed Media Collage
Photograph, encaustic wax + oil pigment
The city of Austin fascinates me with its tall buildings and intersecting lines. I enjoyed capturing this photo of a train crossing Austin Station; the feeling of perspective that the converging lines created, and the shadows falling on the train.
The Structures Series, created for the Davis Gallery’s METROmorphosis show, all began with large photographs as the base of the work. Some of the images I photographed were edited using filters or adjusted to increase or decrease hues and values.
Once the images were printed, they were adhered to a panel and painted with several thin coats of lightly tinted encaustic wax. From there, I etched lines that would create a focal point for the work. Once the lines were enhanced with black oil stick, I applied oil paint in various areas to create focus and dynamic tension.
Number 24
48 x 72 Mixed Media Painting
Encaustic wax, mixed media + oil paint on panel
Commission for collector,
Los Angeles, California.
This large work was created using fourteen individual panels. Each panel was created separately using various mediums and textures. The finished panels were then screwed together to complete the finished piece.
The image in the upper left shows the original layout of the panels with tape covering the areas where I did not want wax to adhere to. The other images reveal how the work came together—texture by texture, piece by piece.
Windswept
60 x 72 Mixed Media Painting
Encaustic wax + oil pigments on panel
Many of my works begin with deciding on a palette for the piece, after which I lay out the colored wax I intend to be the foundational colors of the work.
One of the first decision I make when creating my work is the color palette.
I enjoy laying the colors on the panel, then painting in undertones which delineate the areas of color.
For this piece I used my drip and fuse method to add multiple layers of color onto the panel, one by one, beginning with the deepest hues first and ending with the lightest colors on the surface.
Once satisfied with the wax layers I etched textural elements into the wax and added oil pigment to the entire piece, enhancing the tones and textures in the painting.
In the final step I use a soft cloth to buff up the surface of the work to maximize its luminescence.
Reflections
18 x 18 Mixed Media Collage
Photograph and acrylic on panel
The reflection of one building in the windows of another caught my eye one day while I was walking through the city of Austin. I enjoyed it so much I decided to paint it.
I used this enlarged image to create several renditions of Reflections. By choosing which areas to paint, and determining a palette for each piece, I was able to create a range of interesting works based on the original image.