Wednesday, April 25, 2012

"WAX" .. Encaustic exhibition .. The Scarab Club, Detroit

I am currently in an encaustic art exhibition in Detroit's Scarab Club. The Scarab Club is historic in Michigan (the building and the organization).


It was founded in 1902 and is one of Michigan's oldest
arts organization. I don't know if you can read this, but
on the beams of the upper floors are autographs of
Diego Rivera, Marchel Duchamp, Norman Rockwell and other artists.


The scarab is an Egyptian symbol of rebirth, and
it represents the club's "commitment to the perpetual renewal 
of the arts in Detroit."



The plaque states that it's architecture is based
on Northern Renaissance Revival style. Besides a gallery for
exhibitions, it houses artist's studios, classrooms, and 
upstairs is where parties and gatherings take place.




Below are photos of some of the exhibitors with encaustic used in a variety of techniques.

Barb Williams, "Amber"
(very large .. almost lifesize)



Michelle Schaefer "Red Oak Nebula"
Encaustic




Two pieces by John Cynar
"Black Stone" tar, wax, inkjet photo
(the black halves are tar and the other 
halves are encaustic over digital photo)




Detail of one of the insets (in tar) 
of one of John Cynar's pieces
(they look like slices of reeds)




Three dimensional piece
by Evelyn Bachorski-Bowen
"Portrait of a Soul, #6"
plaster, sisal, and encaustic
(the armature is sisal)




Olga Dermendju, "Untitled Nest"
Beeswax, fabric, wire




Rosemarie Hughes, "Mother's Milk"
Mixed media assemblage with encaustic




Candace Law, "Post Industrial II"
Mixed media and encaustic




Michelle Schaefer, "Where the tars Once Shown: Red Giant"
encaustic and oil




Detail of Michelle's piece above
with three dimensional elements emerging
from the surface




Leslie Sobel, "Fjord, Ice & Water"
Encaustic, digital print, & collage




Doloris Slowinski, "Silk Road Relic: Turfan"
Wool, horsehair tapestry, antique silk, wax




and mine . . Janna Gougeon, "Babel Series, #1"
Encaustic, oil, and mixed medium

It was wonderful to meet all the artists who work with wax, and one of them lives only blocks from me!!