Gelli Plate Monoprint

It's hard to imagine anything much more relaxing and fun than playing with the gelli plate. I've had mine over a year and so far I've used it primarily to make collage papers. But after taking Carla Sonheim's Gelli Plate Printmaking Introductory online class, I've learned some new techniques to use with the plate to make monoprints that are beautiful pieces of art in their own right. This print is on watercolor paper, made with simple handmade stencils. 

Slowing Down with Encaustic Painting

There's something really soothing about working with encaustics. You need to slow down, wait for the wax to melt, stir the medium, fuse the layers, and be sure not to burn yourself or start any fires! I'm taking an introduction to encaustic painting class over the next two months. Today, in class, we got to play and experiment. I'm pretty happy with how this little piece I did in class turned out.

I used a stencil for the leaf design, along with plenty of incising and oil paint to create other lines.

I am not completely happy with the photos here of my work, though. I haven't figured out how to get rid of the glare from the wax. That's why I have the two pictures here, and yet I'm not completely happy with either one of them. Photography is not my forte! I will need to learn more about this if I continue working with wax in my art.