Excited for BEST IN SHOW !!!

You never know when it's going to happen, but you just need to keep putting your artwork out there! So blessed and excited that my encaustic wax and mixed media painting, "Apothecary Green", won BEST  IN  SHOW at the Broward Art Guild Small Works Exhibit in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Opening night was Dec 7 and the show runs through Dec 27. The winning entry is part of a quad of paintings. Here are the pics...

"Apothecary Green" includes ephemera from Chinese Medicine boxes, 

an open unbleached tea bag, and 'pills' made of compressed paper.

The quad of paintings at the Broward Art Guild Small Works Exhibit with the

Best In Show ribbon! Paintings are, clockwise, "Apothecary Green", 

"Apothecary Ruby", "Apothecary Orange", and "Apothecary Violet".

I hope you'll take time this holiday season to support the local artists in your area and buy original artwork to add to your collection or to gift to someone you love. This is the best time of year to become a "Collector" even if you haven't bought before. Just go with your gut and buy what pleases you in the moment.

Happy Arting!  ;)  Tristina

Half Day Encaustic in Layers Workshop Miami

Huge thanks to Sonia Hidalgo for inviting me to share my passion for Encaustic Wax painting with her enthusiastic students at her Romero Hidalgo Artist's Studios in the Red Road Arts District, Miami, on Nov 22. I explained the fascinating history of this ancient painting medium and safety considerations before we dove in to creating 6" x 6" multi-layered encaustic wax paintings. Here's a glimpse into this studio workshop and the beautiful results...

Sonia (in black) helping with instructing students at the start of class.

Sonia watching as students prime their boards with plain beeswax, 

fuse with a heat gun, then coat again in wax medium.

Students working around the palette to build their initial layers, 

and fusing with the heat gun between layers.

Building layers of wax paint over a drawing; fusing gently.

Experimenting with pouring liquid wax paint into metal forms on the painting surface.

So proud of the finished painting!

Beautiful completed paintings by the 7 artists!

So happy to stand with the artists and join them in their happy success. :)

THANK  YOU  SONIA!

To find where I will be teaching a workshop next, check out my online calendar at
www.MultiMediaMavenArt.com and select the Events, Workshops & Demos tab
on the left hand side of the screen.

Happy Arting!   Tristina

On The Bench - Asia Series

So excited that a local gallery is carrying my Asia Series paintings! Spent all weekend working on my own stylized "Grass" calligraphy and paintings. Here are a few of the things created that are in process...

Here's a piece completed with antiquing and metal coins.

HAPPY  ARTING!  Tristina

Wild Abandon with Encaustic

Found a special article while reading the winter 2012/2013 Somerset Studio "Artist's Cafe" magazine about artist Mindy Murphy Lacefield. Her bold colors and simple subjects (A Girl & Her Bird) captured my attention immediately! Then, on taking a closer look at one of her paintings, I noticed some beautiful texture that looked like the surface encaustic wax painting gives...and sure enough, on reading the article, it was encaustic wax!!!

Here is an excerpt: "I've always been drawn to yummy textures where you simply can't resist reaching out and touching the painting. Encaustics create the richness that I so dearly want to achieve. To take the wax further, I love using Shiva paintsticks scumbled over the top. The sticks accentuate the wax's imperfections and oddities and can reveal the most interesting surfaces."

Right on, Mindy! I love the surprise when at a gallery show of my paintings I tell someone they can touch my encaustic painting. "Really?", the guest always says in shock. It's a great way to break the ice; and who doesn't love to do something a little naughty...like TOUCH  THE  PAINTING? Encaustic paintings smell great, too. There's nothing like the heady aroma of beeswax that greets me when I walk into my studio to start the day...

I appreciate Mindy sharing that she uses her Shiva oil paint sticks to rub over the cooled encaustic (wax paints are either hot - liquid - or cool - solid, not wet or dry like other painting media). Traditionally, Shiva paintsticks were primarily marketed for and used as a great way to custom pattern fabric. I have a box of them, but haven't used them much. Now I'm going to break them out and put them to work on my next encaustic wax painting!

I am so grateful for other artists who fearlessly share their ideas and methods of how they create. You can read Mindy's blog at www.TimsSally.com to get more insight on what inspires her. Mindy has also written a book about art creating called "Wild Surrender". You can find it on Amazon by clicking the link below.



HAPPY  ARTING!  :D  Tristina

Acrylic Techniques In Mixed Media Book Review

Just finished reading "Acrylic Techniques in Mixed Media" by Roxanne Padgett today. This book is total EYE CANDY for mixed-media junkies! An exercise in EXTREME LAYERING...

I adore how Roxanne started off with a simple explanation and practice of Color Wheel Basics, which is a great primer for newbies and an excellent reminder for experienced crafters/painters as well. I help my students put these ideas into practice when teaching my "Finding Your Visual Voice" acrylic color painting workshop.

The book's colorful chapters give tons of ways to print, copy, stamp, rub, stencil, paint, collage, grid your way to covering the blank paper page or canvas fabric. My favorite techniques from what she shared are making simple collograph printing plates with manila folders and creating your own stamps from craft foam. One of my favorite tools she shared is the simple cosmetic sponge wedge; wow, what a great tool for painting on the face and in the studio!

The book's section about stenciling and printing with found objects inspired me to take out a deconstructed computer keyboard acetate sheet with brilliant circle and rectangle holes in it (that I've been hoarding for years) to my art journal and use it! Yay, love to get inspired to use stuff from my stash.

Can't wait to make the "artist" business cards Roxanne shows how to create in the Projects section of the book. A sewn painted canvas zippered bag project will be the next on my hit list to hold the business cards in. Other innovative and practical book/journal making projects follow. She also includes projects with whimsy, like her colorful "paper birds".

I highly recommend this book for beginner and accomplished artists alike. Definitely great to get the creative juices pumping. You can find additional information, reviews and buy the book with the link below.

HAPPY  ARTING!  Tristina

Frame It Up!

So happy to have received my boxes of frames from FrankenFrames.com this week! Getting prepared for the holiday season by putting a bunch of my works on paper under plexiglass. Franken has great museum quality plexi; travels way better than glass when shipping to galleries!

Art Bravo Entry Accepted!

Hello Art Loving Friends! I feel so fortunate to have one of my encaustic wax paintings accepted into the juried fine art competition artBRAVO! This exhibition is going on now at ArtServe, 1350 E Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, through November 22. Hope you get a chance to swing by and see the fantastic art represented there. Below are some of my favorites. Enjoy!

With my painting "Grounded" in textured encaustic wax.

Here's a close up of the textured wax surface.

"Fertility Rites" by Stephanie Cunningham. 

Background is birth control package inserts! Plus eggs, mini test tubes and wax.

"Burst of Color" by Emily Grieco. 

This painting is quite large and covered in a beautiful layer of resin.

"Complexity in Motion" by Barry Rosson.

Love this acrylic on glass.

"Outside Your Window" by Liliana Rivera.

Has a beautiful subtle metallic glow and love the rust look.

"Emerald Sea" by Hilma Koelman.

Highly textured acrylic color and movement.

"Krakow, Mysterious Way" by Wendy Boucher.

This is an all paper extreme collage, gorgeous!

"Dazzling" by Emily Grieco.

Life sized painted manikin. Funky and fun.

"Helios Bowl" by Nick Starr.

The ceramic bowl looks ancient; perfect patina.

"Biblis 'In the Emerald Forest'" by Jen Toplak.

The oil painting is large and extremely fine.

"Rhubarb" by Willow.

Another extreme paper collage, this time with animals.

"On a Sunny Day" by Hilma Koelman.

I could stand in front of this painting all night...

Large acrylic with vibrant colors and texture.

"13007" by Christian Feneck.

How does he get all those perfect lines??? Brilliant!

"Curtain Call" by Susan Clifton.

The ballerina body is all collaged bits. Love the whole image effect. 

"The Sea Whisperer" by Sandra Canning.

A fine art photograph that sold during the opening

by one of my fellow Broward Art Guild members. :)

"Barrio Alto #9" by Edison Penafiel.

Wish I had a better picture of this First Place fine art photograph.

It's a cardboard replica of a dilapidated building with an actual photo of a building

 in the background. How do they do that? Thought provoking...

HAPPY  ARTING!   Tristina :D

On The Bench - Asian Inspired Art

Here's what's on my art table today. In process for an article I'm working on to submit to my favorite mixed-media magazine. What's on your art table?

Art Florida Academy Visit

Today I visited my student Sonia Hidalgo's Art Florida Academy and Romero Hidalgo Artists' Studios in the Red Road Art District in Miami. I'm very humbled that she is bringing me into her studios as a Guest Teacher for Encaustic Wax painting! We are offering a 3 hour Encaustic Wax in Layers introductory workshop Nov 22 and an all day workshop in Dec. Details coming soon...

Sonia in front of her Studios.

The classes she offers at the studios include still life study, live model and these sculptures and reliefs as inspiration subjects...oh, and that's "Walter" the skeleton on the right!

Here's one of the graffiti painted walls in the Red Road Art District.  :)

Call Sonia at 305-262-9966 if you would like to attend the Encaustic Workshops and to find out more about her classes for adults and children. Here is a link to information about her academy and studios: http://www.romerohidalgostudios.com/

Happy Arting!   Tristina 

Fun With Charcoal Drawing

Thank goodness for Holiday Weekends! I have started and stopped Dynamic Charcoal Drawing with Chris Wynter on my computer several times in days gone by. Today I went for it, got out all my charcoal drawing supplies (fat charcoal, skinny charcoal, charcoal pencils, white 'charcoal', blending stump and charcoal/pastel paper) and sat down to spend 2 hours following along with Chris on the video. I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed an uninterrupted 2 hours of bliss, but stayed with it until I was done!

I enjoyed Chris's relaxed style, and he kept talking about what he was doing even when you could not see his hand on the paper. His insights were very helpful. I recognize after having watched the video that it would be even more helpful the next time I sit down to draw a charcoal still life to set up a table with real objects in front of me so I can better see the light and texture in the objects. Here's my finished drawing...

Here is the link to the preview for Chris' video by Interweave: http://youtu.be/uZled4lnSR4

And, I always have to take the investigation of my projects to the next level, so here is a link to an artist who uses charcoal, white gesso and black gesso to make her abstract paintings. Stunning, and looks like a blast to do too! Will definitely try one of these. Enjoy... http://youtu.be/b3xqQ3bZjC0

Hope you have had the opportunity this holiday weekend to create something! Happy Arting,

Tristina  :)