More Collage + Encaustic

Sometimes I feel like I spend my whole life stumbling around like Mr. Magoo at the hind end of the elephant, taking the tail for the whole beast. Myopia is me. I get so focused on whatever is near at hand or last to arrive in my mind, that I can't see the big picture or remember what came before.

Cuppa, collage with encaustic and oilstick on book cover, about 7"x5".

Or maybe it's just that I get so wrapped up in the new, that I forget the old? Anyway, I'm in the studio and having a really fun time making these little collages on book covers. I'm making some bigger work at the same time, but these little pieces are very enjoyable.

Hear Ye, collage with encaustic and oilstick on book cover, about 7"x5"

What I mean by my opening statements is that in my rush to embrace the next new thing, I completely erase all memory of what had me so engaged with the old, abandoned thing. I forgot that I really love doing collage, that is, I love the kind of collage that's more like mosaic because I really love mosaic. You see how it goes.

In the Pool, collage with encaustic on book cover, about 9"x 5.5"

I've done mosaic with glass and tiles but that's a lot more work than these and you have to be careful about glass splinters. Plus it's very heavy. All I have to be careful about with these is the paper storm that I have brewing on one of my tables. I hope it doesn't get hot too quick because if I turn on a fan, I'm done for.

Wish You Were Here, collage with encaustic on book cover, about 9"x 5.5"

In Other News 
I received the stolen and recovered paintings back from Tucson today. I kind of dreaded opening them to see their condition, but they weren't bad - a few chips and scrapes. I think the rubber surrounding the panels in place of frames really saved them from more damage. That's one of the great things about encaustic - easily fixable.


Preparing for NEW @ FAC
New England Wax is having an exhibition at the Fairfield Arts Council gallery in Fairfield, CT that opens next week. It was organized by my pal, Binnie Birstein, who lives in Connecticut and belongs to the FAC as well as to NEW. The show was juried and curated by Laura Epstein, who has a background in Asian and contemporary art. I've been working on the show for a while - gathering images, preparing lists of accepted work, putting together the catalog, etc. This Saturday I'm helping to receive, unwrap and check in paintings. There's really so much work to it all. It's worse than housework - but more exciting and with a better ending. (You do know that you can click on these images and see them larger, right?)