within the seed, a secret

You are lost the moment you know what the result will be. ~Juan Gris



Within the seed, a secret
encaustic mixed media
12x9 inches


I can't even recall how many transformations this painting has been through or even exactly how many layers of paint makes up this piece. It is a painting I have been working on, on and off, for several weeks. Mmm, actually, maybe months. Perhaps even a few years? I suppose I should know the answers to this or not admit that I don't know to anyone besides myself. It was just something I worked on here and there, think it was done, then no, no it wasn't. Paint over, scrape back, paint again, leave alone for a few months. Repeat. You get the idea. But now, I know, with 100% certainty, that the painting that it was supposed to be all along is finally here. It just took me a while to get there.

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When I was in Oregon for EncaustiCamp, I finally got to hold Judy Wise and Stephanie Lee's book, Plaster Studio: Mixed-Media Techniques for Painting, Casting and Carving (See all Creativity Books) in my hands. I am so honored to have been asked to share one of my encaustic paintings that I created on a plaster substrate in their book. Stephanie was the one that introduced me to plaster several years ago and I have been using it in a variety of ways with encaustic ever since. I am really looking forward to reading this book and trying out some of the other techniques that they share in it. I am particularly interested in trying out casting....oh, the possibilities! And of course I made Judy sign it for me and that makes it all the more special.