Here is the finished product.  After drawing the anatomical parts with charcoal I did multiple thin encaustic layers (about 8) and then scraped down the texture.  There are a lot of "happy accidents" that occurred. Initially I wanted a smooth glassy surface to carve into.  But the bumps and little crevasses created an interesting "flesh" like texture.  I then carved the shapes into the encaustic and filled it with an oil slick enhancing the carving.  So what should be inside is now shown outside in reference to the object portrayed.  I really like how they turned out and they each have a clean black closed cornered clayed frame.  Let me know what you think. This is three of the four I will put up the last one when it is done.  They are for sale, so come and get your medical art encaustic!!! :)

 "The Drain" 30x30 in. (Medical Art Encaustic Brain) Flack Studio

 "The Electrician" 30x30 in. (Medical Art Encaustic Heart) Flack Studio

"The Plumber" 30x30 in. (Medical Art Encaustic Heart) Flack Studio

I titled them this way because I have a couple of friends that are Dr. and with the heart that is the reference they have used with each other.  Most of the sections I am enhancing show the support systems to the functionality of the organ.  The heart pump is only as good as its contractile function. 

June Woman Figure Show and Books

So, Rive Gauche Gallery in Scottsdale is having a three man show from June 4th to the 17th. They mostly have cafe scene paintings of mine that they are putting in the show. I have more pieces that I am going to bring down that will hopefully go up for the show the day of the opening. I like working on art in a series, I have a hard time painting the same thing over and over, I need to leave an idea for a while before coming back to it because the subject matter bores me. I figure I will rotate ideas eg. chiaroscuro paintings, people in the park, cafe scenes, still life, and landscape paintings. I like painting everything because they are so useful for the next painting. If for example I don't know how to paint a landscape how am I expected to paint a figure in a landscape context? I feel like my still life paintings are the strongest right now because I paint them right in front of me. Currently I am using photographs for my figures and some landscapes. I know my work would be much better if I did it live but that also requires a large amount of funds, it is my preference but not a necessity.

I am reading a fantastic book, "I'd rather be in the studio" written by Alyson B. Stanfield. I am learning a lot about promotion and thinking outside the box. My understand was artists had to work with galleries to get anywhere. They can help but they are not necessary. Doing this blog is another thing she recommends. In short if you are an artist and you want to understand how to move your business forward I would recommend reading the book.

Another great book to read is "The Materials of the Artist and their use in Painting" written by Max Doerner. If you are interested in learning about how to make your own primed canvas and what your options are, pigments and their uses, anything about Oil painting, Egg Tempera, Mural, Pastel Painting, and their uses. I would recommend this book, I loved it so much I started my own experiments with pigment and mediums, drying time, clarity, and light fastness. I would love to teach a class based on this book because of all the necessary information that is contained. It was originally written in 1920 so he does not have any info on acrylic paints.