My Life as an Artist. Making a living as an artist isn’t always easy—but most of you already know that. Still, it’s absolutely possible, and I’m here to tell you it can be done. Yesterday, while working at the fire art center, I had the chance to talk to a group about my process and… Read More »Art, Business, and Making It Work
It’s all about relationships…… I know we all know this, but it bears repeating…..it’s all about relationships. It’s about finding ‘like minded people’ or as some say, ‘finding your tribe.’ I do a fair amount of social media, but there is no shortcut for building a genuine relationship with another person. I’m reminded of this… Read More »Finding Community as an Artist
If you know my work, you already know I use a lot of white encaustic paint. And every so often, I find myself in a pinch—out of commercial white and needing a quick solution. Commercial encaustic paints are made from beeswax, damar resin, and high-quality pigments, often dispersion pigments that are formulated with very little… Read More »DIY Encaustic Paint Using Oil Colors
5 Reasons to Enter Art Competitions Entering art competitions can feel intimidating—especially if you’re new to the process—but they offer tremendous value for your growth and visibility as an artist. After judging the 2016 National Juried Photo Encaustic Exhibition at Sage Gallery in Portland, Oregon, I was reminded of just how transformative competitions can be.… Read More »5 Reasons Every Artist Should Enter Art Competitions
Meet Deborah Williams. One day when Deborah and I were emailing back and forth she nonchalantly mentioned that she grinded her own pigments. My reaction…..wait, you do what? She had my attention, and fascination. Since this is so far out of my realm, I asked her to talk about her process. +++++ I love the… Read More »DIY Pigments for Photo Encaustic Artists
How do you find your style? Finding your artistic style is one of the most common and elusive topics in my classes. Students often ask: “Does your style find you, or do you develop it based on your strengths?” The first step is mastering the techniques of your chosen medium. Style can’t truly emerge while… Read More »Discover Your Unique Art Style
Where does the time go? At the end of July my Minneapolis studio lease ended, and half of my supplies went into garage storage while the other half came with me as I headed west. By early August, I landed in Snowmass, Colorado, ready for 11 weeks devoted almost entirely to creating art… and hiking.… Read More »Reflections from My Colorado Art Residency
Please allow me a small—okay, maybe not so small—rant. Yesterday I stopped into one of my galleries to pick up my artwork, and what I walked into left me absolutely stunned. And frustrated. And honestly, deeply disappointed. You know I’m all about relationships. I value galleries, I value the role they play, and I work… Read More »How to Ensure Galleries Respect Your Art
My new way of shooting……Overexposing. When I teach my classes I talk about how you may eventually start shooting differently when you work in photo encaustics. At first we obviously start with the images that we have. We learn the techniques and we envision where we want our work to go. But as time progresses….we… Read More »Why Overexposing Your Photos Works for Photo Encaustic
Feel the Fear…..and do it anyways. A few months ago, I came across a mantra that has stayed with me. I repeat it to myself often—sometimes even out loud, as my 11-year-old nephew discovered when he caught me whispering it before launching myself down a zipline. That moment made me realize that my inner voice… Read More »How One Mantra Helped Me Take a Creative Leap of Faith