The making of my Edges submission

This summer has been so busy that a deadline on my calendar snuck op on me. I only had one day before submissions were due for Edges, Morpho Gallery’s fourth annual encaustic show. I was part of Wax(‘N)Blue two years ago and always love the way this annual show comes together.

I decided to continue the wire experimentation I had started with Encounters with Language and Communicating Love. With limited time, and knowing Morpho Gallery is a good venue for small works, I used two 5 x 5 inch cradled boards to start my work.

I had already started a layer of medium so I heated that up and evened out the medium layer.

I cut out the strips of piano scroll I wanted to use for these ‘edgy ‘pieces. Our prospectus stated: “Artists are invited to interpret the theme of Edges. The word “edge” has many meanings. It can be a noun: the thin sharp side of a blade, a brink, place where two surfaces meet, a line or border where a surface terminates – or it can be a verb: to sharpen, to move sideways, to advance cautiously – to name a few. The exhibit is open to artists in the U.S. who work in the encaustic medium.”

I decided to use a chocolate brown for the background color. It took a few layers for it to get the depth I wanted, and I could have added a few more if I hadn’t been pressed for time.

Then I waxed the scroll and layered that on the piece. With more time I would have re-adhered these layers too as it was a bit bubbly, but pressed for time I evened the paper out as well as I could.

Kathleen Waterloo and Kathy Blankley Roman jurored all three prior encaustic shows at Morpho: Hot Wax in the City, Wax(N)Blue and Unbound(ed). Kathy Blankley Roman is an award winning abstract painter. She has studied encaustic with Jenny Learner and Shawna Moore. Her acrylic and encaustic works have been exhibited nationally and internationally online. She has a lot of earth tones in her work and also uses a lot of mixed media, including vintage paper.

I decided to play with masking tape a bit to give my shapes a bit more edge, potentially channeling Kathleen’s work a bit.

Kathleen Waterloo received her BFA in 1996 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  Her work is represented in Chicago, Minneapolis, Washington DC, and Portland, and has been exhibited nationally and worldwide. Kathleen uses vibrant colors and geometric shapes in her work. After the masking tape came off I adjusted the lines with a razor and a dentists’ tool.

Then it came time to add the wire.

Morpho Gallery “prides itself in seeking talented artists who are on the cusp of being discovered by the mainstream art community.  We invite local artists to exhibit their work in a creative and non-competitive atmosphere where artistic experimentation and development are encouraged. By creating a blank palette inside the gallery, we offer infinite possibilities for an array of colors, textures and media to come together. Morpho Gallery also offers leasing packages at affordable rates to groups and individuals who wish to stage their own shows.”

It took a bit of hammering and re-bending to get the wire to lay the way I wanted to.

Et voila, two new encaustic pieces were ready for submission.

Pushing the deadline does make for instant gratification. I am thrilled to be accepted into the show, along with FUSEDChicago members Carol Hamilton, Catherine Keebler, Cindy Lesperance, Dan Addington, Joan Moriarty, Karen Tichy, Kari Hall, Kelly Mathews, Laura LaRue, Linda Wein and Pat Lagger. The show also includes Alex Wilhite, Amanda Jolly, Amy Finder, Cate Cormack, Daniel Breslin, Denise Minkler, Danielle Miller, Gina Stanley, Elizabeth Schowachert, Karl Kaiser, Margaret Berry, Melissa Lackman, Naomi Hart, Nicole Prigan, Robin Miller, Robin Tripaldi, Stephanie Green, Susan Dickman, and Wendy Shapiro..

The opening reception of Edges – 4th Annual Encaustic Exhibition is on August 7 from 6 to 10 pm at Morpho Gallery, 5216 N. Damen, Chicago, IL 60625. The show runs through September 6th, 2015.