Careful about what you find online about photo encaustic. A few months ago I received an email from a well-respected encaustic instructor I hadn’t met in person. She wrote that students often ask her about incorporating photography into encaustic work, and she routinely refers them to me. She also shared a concern: many teachers are… Read More »How to Spot Questionable Encaustic Techniques
Combining Oil and Wax is tricky. Oil and wax have always been a magical combination for me. Almost every piece I create includes at least some oil paint because the layered richness, depth, and luminosity it creates is unlike anything else. There’s an opulence to oil over wax that can transform a piece, adding movement… Read More »Avoid the Oil-and-Wax Danger Zone
Quit griping about paying gallery commissions. I often hear artists say, “Why should I give a gallery 50% of my profit?” The answer is simple: galleries do the work most of us can’t or don’t want to do. Creating art and marketing art require two entirely different skill sets, and galleries excel at the business… Read More »Paying Gallery Commissions
3 Real Artistic Fears. I’ve been teaching this work for a long time, and one thing I know for certain is this: people carry deep-rooted fears about creating art. I do too. Making art is an incredibly brave act. When it comes to diving into photo encaustics, I see three fears surface again and again.… Read More »Overcoming Your Biggest Fears in Photo Encaustics
The 40-40-20 rule. The 40-40-20 rule has become one of the most valuable guidelines in my art business. When I recently asked what topics you wanted to learn more about, so many of you mentioned the business side of selling art. It’s a massive topic—one that energizes me as much as the creative process itself.… Read More »A Simple Rule to Grow Your Art Business
The moment that changed it all. The moment that changed everything for me as an artist didn’t arrive with fireworks. It came quietly, after months of experimenting with alternative photographic processes, searching for more depth than a flat printed image could ever give me. I wanted something tactile and alive—something I didn’t have to hide… Read More »My ‘Aha’ Moment: How Tissue Paper Transformed My Photo Art
Get Yourself an Accountability Partner. I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions, but I am a believer in evaluating where you are and where you want to go. Every January, I review my year and create my “Do – Be – Have” list—a simple three-column system that helps me set direction and intention. Last year,… Read More »Why You Need an Accountability Partner
This is one of my all-time favorites. Every now and then, an older piece of art resurfaces and reminds you exactly why you fell in love with creating in the first place. Majestic Rain is one of those pieces for me. It has always been one of my all-time favorites—yet somehow, I let it drift… Read More »The Story Behind Majestic Rain
Well, it finally happened…… Sharing your artwork online is always a double-edged sword. You want people to experience your art, but visibility also opens the door to misappropriation and theft. Last week, I came across an image that was unmistakably mine—being passed off as another artist’s work. From what I can tell, she traced my… Read More »When Someone Steals Your Art: What You Can Do
I hope this never happens to you. As a core part of my business practice, I meet weekly with an accountability partner to review what’s working—and what’s threatening our livelihood as artists. This week’s conversation? The rise of art scams targeting creators. One scam she encountered could have cost her $90,000. Yes, 90K. Unbelievable—and terrifying.… Read More »Protect Yourself From Common Art Scams