Actually Painting with Encaustic

Encaustic painting still seems to be fascinating and drawing more and more people into trying their hand at painting with hot wax, resin and color.

In my mind, it almost seems like a cult and there are teachers all over the world offering classes in encaustic. It is fun for everyone. Lots of participants in classes just want the experience of using heat to see the colors move and make a more or less shiny surface.

I have taught hundreds of students in my encaustic workshops and after the first day of getting used to the heat source and seeing what happens when the colors move by themselves, I guide them into thinking about composition and negative space. I claim that my students often make more accomplished paintings than some "teachers". http://ezshwan.blogspot.com/2018/09/none-of-my-students-make-same-painting.html

My house mate, Cynthia Hamilton has mastered the encaustic technique. Her paintings are abstract, with the most beautiful surfaces I have even seen. Cynthia has also worked in this medium for 20 years. She is my daughter, but I did not teach her. We started at the same time; I was in Ashland OR. and she was in Brooklyn NY. She first saw the encaustic technique in Italy and I discovered it in Portland OR at a gallery.

We do not share a studio, so her finished paintings are a happy surprise to me.
Below are some of her newest encaustic paintings. I wish you could see the touch the glass-like surface. I love to pet her paintings. It is a sensual experience.

60 Years of Making Art Video and Encaustic workshops

I have been sending this video privately to my subscribers, but now, this once, I am sharing it publicly.:https://vimeo.com/121501428

Of course since I made this I have continued creating and newer work can be seen on my website. www.ezshwan.com

And here is my recent announcement for the upcoming encaustic workshops.

Dates of workshops:

June 17 & 18, July 15 &16, August 19 &; 20, Sept. 23 & 24

Check out the workshop blog: http://ezshwan.blogspot.com/ for the details

Abstract; Back to Figurative

For the past 9 months, I have been working on my latest series, "The Lightness of Being" http://www.ezshwan.com/new-work.html and it has been a wonderful creative adventure. I challenged myself to explore different ways to use encaustic with mixed media. Some of these paintings will be in a 3 month show in what I think is the best, most beautiful gallery in San Miguel de Allende , July, August and September.

I may eventually go back to this style, but right now, I am having a break that is fun and keeping me smiling; painting images from old photos of my childhood, and that was a long time ago; a simple time. I have just started. I only put in a couple of hours yesterday, but I am looking forward to getting back into the studio.

I have been working as an artist for a very long time and have no intention of stopping

The new painting, "Here, There and Everywhere"

Begining paint sketches

starting with ink washes on pieces of canvas

Another oldie , a cover of a magazine from about 2002

Online Encaustic Classes

I love teaching encaustic students in my studio. They get individual personal attention and I get to meet people that I otherwise would not meet; sometimes it is not possible for students to get to San Miguel de Allende, so I offer online classes for those who have the basic encaustic experience. Here is the link for the classes https://vimeo.com/ondemand/4167

Check out more about the classes: http://ezshwanwindingencausticworkshopvideos.blogspot.com/2013/08/online-encaustic-classes.html