unexpectedly good stuff all around
my painting class was great fun last weekend. i got to do 16 hours of encaustic painting over two days, and i loved it! i have long been drawn to encaustic work, and had tried at one point to figure out the technical stuff on my own so i could give it a whirl, but it was too much for my little brain. i'm glad i waited - the instructor was terrific , and i learned proper safety precautions to boot, which is probably a very good thing. it is not very often that i love the smell of art supplies (i don't share the love some friends have for eau d'permanent markers - you know who you are) but the wax used in encaustic painting has a delicious aroma. plus, all of the steps involved in the process and tools i learned to use made me feel kind of cool - i admit it. i wasn't a girl who was super handy with a paint stripping heat gun before, but now...you should see me. :) i think i might need a holster for it or something.
here are some experiments from the weekend:
being at the art school all weekend reminded me of how much i love school, and the occasional chance to step out of my everyday life from time to time to try something new. it made me feel kind of totally giddy. and when the class was over i had an excellent mothers day sushi dinner with my family, who even got dressed up for the occasion. i can't get chase to take off his sweatband to wash it (it's totally gross + crusty, but he loves it,) but the rest of him was unusually clean + dressed in completely random clothes that he thought i would like. my heart melted into a puddle on the floor, joining the miso soup that was also spilled under there.
other things:
- my art space(s) are on modish this week. thanks jena! things aren't currently looking so tidy. you're not invited into my basement until i do a little cleaning, okay?
- i've recently noticed that waxed handlebar moustaches are back in fashion. who knew?
- my friend betsy brought me back some stumptown coffee from her trip to that other portland. my favorite! and while she was out there, she happened to meet one of my favorite bloggers. i love small world stuff like that!
- i planted some seeds today. what do you think the chances are i can nurture their little souls into something + not kill them? time will tell.
- my good friend nicole's funny + excellent parenting zine, hausfrau*, was adapted into a one-woman show by another very talented friend who performed it for the first time last night at portland stage company as part of their little festival of the unexpected. i got to go, and it was incredible. local people, i highly recommend you go and see it on saturday if you can. (*and did i tell you she has a hausfrau book coming out next year? i can't wait.)
Sounds like a very fun weekend! I love your new pieces. I can't wait to see more of your artwork with this technique!
Posted by: Katie | May 14, 2008 at 12:14 PM
excellent! i love the paintings and can't wait to see more (i hope there are more).
Posted by: julia | May 14, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Clay once started a small, but very messy fire when melting wax in our old Seattle apartment. Learning safety procautions good!
I love the look of encaustic and can't wait to see more of what you come up with!
Posted by: Kara | May 14, 2008 at 12:44 PM
STUMPTOWN IS THE GREATEST! My brother used to live in Portland and when we visited, we always stopped there or at the Albina Press (which serves Stumptown coffee) multiple times a day. Yum.
Your paintings are lovely too! That looks like a really cool painting style. I love getting to use dangerous tools. I took a jewelry-making class and learned how to solder and anneal and use one of those heavy-duty table drills. So fun.
Posted by: seven | May 14, 2008 at 02:14 PM
Amen to the stepping outside normal life and trying something new thing. Feels good doesn't it?
Posted by: Ali | May 14, 2008 at 05:26 PM
Sooooooo jealous of your encausticlearninesses as I've yet to find a mentor in my area to help me out with those bits. Not so jealous that I'm not waiting with bated breath to see more of what you bring to the medium.
Posted by: Melanie | May 14, 2008 at 08:59 PM
When it finally dawned on me who Betsy was (after I'd oohed and ahhed over her bags for several minutes at Tumbleweed), I felt like such a doofus for not immediately connecting her with your post about her and her etsy shop on your blog a short while ago. I was thrilled to meet her in person, and felt like I kinda got to meet you and Meg through her. Such a small world! So when are you making over to this Portland?
Posted by: sulu-design | May 15, 2008 at 01:39 AM
your paintings look great, jen!
Posted by: erin | May 15, 2008 at 08:17 AM
I love that top photo. I'm set to start some art classes soon and can't wait.
Posted by: kari | May 15, 2008 at 06:02 PM
I love encaustic painting, and I'm planning to bust it out of retirement pretty soon here, too.
Posted by: Tracy | May 15, 2008 at 07:56 PM
Lovely to see you yesterday! Wanted to tell you I made yummy ginger cookies last night after checking out Orangette and stayed up looking at all the goodie blogs. AND today I am going to take 10 pictures. See what a good influence you are?!
Posted by: Isa | May 16, 2008 at 03:02 PM
heh heh, I love the image of you with the heat gun in a holster. Almost as much as I love that pic of the green corners. Great shot lady! skype!!!
Posted by: chd | May 17, 2008 at 12:02 AM
Oh...stumptown coffee. Lucky you. And yes I love the smell of new paint out of a tube.
Posted by: Jen | May 18, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Hurray for your friends show at PSC, my hubby works there :)
Posted by: geek+nerd | May 18, 2008 at 10:37 AM
i'm jealous that you got to go to the class...any painting class is a dream for me right now...aghhh maybe in a few years when the kids are bigger!
Posted by: Tiel | May 20, 2008 at 06:48 AM
i'm jealous that you got to go to the class...any painting class is a dream for me right now...aghhh maybe in a few years when the kids are bigger!
Posted by: Tiel | May 20, 2008 at 06:54 AM