Adventures In Cold Wax and Oils

It has been a busy fall in the studio, just put the hanging wire on a commission that has been months in the making. Fingers crossed that the client will like it!  Also been gathering the elements needed for a new custom piece, so play time will be minimal.

Play time has been explorations into a new medium for me, cold wax and water mixable oils.
I have drooled over the rich depths of colour I see other artists achieving with oils, (Jeane Myers) but have been so uncertain and frankly intimidated by them I never invested.

At one of the shows the Andrew and Laura McCain Gallery put on, Michael McEwing had one of his pieces from the Nature Trust Project. I could have fell into that painting! The richness of the blues were like nothing I had ever encountered.

So I began the search into oils and along the way learned about water mixable oils!  Still intimidating, as learning anything new can be, especially as I am working with cold wax medium which doesn't have a lot of info out there.  That is changing thanks to pioneer, Rebecca Crowell who's much anticipated book comes out next year and recently Serena Barton came out with a book on the topic.

Once I summoned up the courage to start, I fell in love with this fragile yet forgiving medium. Working with oils and cold wax has been a heart opening experience, and so different from how I paint with acrylics.  It didn't take me long to have fav tools either! Like this silicone bowl scrapper that Rebecca Crowell includes in her 'tools and tips' on her website.

I work with palette knives, the scrapper and shaper tools pictured here, along with my Holbein's Duo Aqua Oils, and Cobra water mixable oils. Besides the Dorland's Wax my fav medium to use with the oils is W&N Artisan Fast Drying Medium.  Steep learning curve, but oh my the experience of working with oil and cold wax is pure joy.

So this little piece will dry more while I tackle filling tile orders and commission pieces.



Up coming popular event put on by the McCain Art Gallery is the Small Works Group Art Show. I am so pleased to be participating in this great event along with many talented local artists.  The show kicks off November 19th with an Opening Reception from 6-9pm and runs until December 17th.  Just in time for some unique gift shopping for Christmas!

Along with my abstract and mixed media paintings I will be including some my Inked Tiles inlaid in beautiful 'What Not' wooden boxes.

I think I'd better get back to work now!