Garnet Vista - In Progress

Detail from Garnet Vista - encaustic w/ mixed media

This is a detail from Garnet Vista – (see full painting below). This is one of the 4 large triptychs that will be featured in my solo show. Still working on the final detail layers of this painting. It seems like the longest stretch when the work is this close to completion and there is no room for experimentation or error. Back to the studio…stay tuned.

Garnet Vista - 72 x 24 - encaustic w/mixed media

Discovering Treasure

Geode 2009 - Alicia Tormey - Encaustic w/mixed media . 8" x 8"

This is one of the small gem series paintings titled Geode. These little “gems” are evolving into some really unique work. So far I have created twenty of these small panels for my November show and I want to keep expanding on this series in the future. The larger panels for the show are starting to fall into place now and all the work together as a group takes on a whole new life of its own. This show will be somewhat of a departure for me with works ranging in size from 8" up to 6ft and a wide range of hard candy colors. I still have some final push days to put in at the studio before this body of work is complete. For the first time in a long while I feel a sense of evolution in the work itself and it makes me feel very inspired and filled with anticipation of discoveries yet to unfold. More to share so stay tuned...

Gem Series

Painting detail from the Gem Series

As part of my upcoming solo show I created this grouping I call the Gem Series. They are small, only 8” x 8”, but there will be about 20 of them and each one will be finished in a deep profile black frame. I am hoping they will have a big visual impact as a group. These photos show them in various stages of completion and I plan to add some wispy botanical elements to each one. I am wrapping up some large 72” x 24” landscapes today and navigating around the studio has been a challenge for me with all these large paintings in the works. I love working large so I may have to get a larger studio space. The final art for my November show will be selected next week and then I will frame and photograph everything and post more sneak peeks in the coming weeks.

Studio shot of encaustic "Gems" in progress.

Studio shot of two large encaustic triptych landscapes in progress.

The Great Art Party 2009

Metaphor - Alicia Tormey 2007  Encaustic w/ mixed media 12" x 16"

Floating Bridge Press Donation 2009

The Great Art Party is being held this Saturday, September 12th at the Renaissance Hotel in Seattle. I donated this small encaustic painting to help raise funds for the Floating Bridge Press. This is a unique auction concept for an arts fund raiser. They have different ticket purchase levels starting at 100. Then they draw numbers and you select the piece of art you want based on this lottery system. It’s a great deal. For instance, the painting I donated is valued at 500 and the cost to participate in this "lottery" section is only 300. All proceeds will benefit the Floating Bridge Press Endowment Fund, assuring the press a healthy financial future. Founded in 1994, Floating Bridge Press produces its annual Poetry Chapbook Award, publishes The Floating Bridge Review literary journal and produces state-wide poetry readings: http://www.scn.org/floatingbridge/
This is in keeping with my motto – "Artists Supporting the Arts!" See you there!

Art Tech

Unglazed porcelain form - 2009 - work in progress

This is a form before I began to work on it – just the way it came out of the kiln. The pieces look so raw and simple this way. I love the look and feel of unglazed porcelain. I should have the art for the show wrapped up in the next couple of weeks so I can begin photographing it. It is so exciting for me as an artist to combine the use of encaustic with a new material. Please mark your calendars for the show opening in Seattle on November 5th, 2009, at the Pacini Lubel Gallery.

Summer Dance Detail - Encaustic w/ Mixed Media 2009

I have had several inquiries regarding my process used to create this painting - Summer Dance -2009. I just found out that it has been sold so it reminded me to comment before the memory fades. This painting is encaustic with a monotype collage element and mixed media. I started with a gessoed panel (*please see my additional comment on the gesso) and layered in some tones around the edges with pigment sticks and ink. Then I brushed down a couple layers of wax to prime the surface and embedded one of my mono print images of a blue leafy branch near the center. More wax layers were then built up and distressed around it. I then painted and scratched in the foreground branch with encaustic and oil and I used a Bernzomatic torch throughout to fuse all my layers.

*I have been experimenting with the new encaustic gesso from R & F. My summation is: that unless you are working on a dark surface or doing extensive under-painting with mediums other than encaustic, it seams a bit unnecessary to gesso. I was hoping it would give me a smoother surface but it really only added an additional step to an already labor intensive process. However, I could see the benefit of this step if you wanted to paint a detailed under-painting image on the gesso first in a medium that’s compatible with encaustic such as oils.

I hope you find this informative and I will post more observations on the gesso as I work with it in the studio. If anyone has tips on working with gesso as well as hints for taking successful photos of encaustic art please share them here!