Old Paintings Rediscovered

As long as I can remember, I have worked in series. I recently found photos of one of my earlier series, created in the early 90's, and I fondly remembered making these paintings in my studio above the enormous (10,400 sq.ft.) gallery I co-owned in Scottsdale AZ. It was August and so hot the gallery was closed for the month. I got to my studio before 6 am to be able to work before the blazing heat made it impossible.
I chose to flatten the background and use colors that I had never used before, some with lavender and orange. I disliked the color lavender and thought combining it with orange was outlandish. I wish I had all the images, but here is one and some more in the same vein created the same year.

I Need a Title

 I started this series, thinking of old black and white photos with a touch of sepia to add to the aged look. This is the 6th painting in the series. I started with a charcoal drawing, then layers of encasutic, that I struggled with because my studio is sooo cold. The wax sets up immediately and it is hard to get it smooth. After the encasutic, I add oil glazes and do a lot of scraping; then add charcoal to emphazise the blacks. All that needs to be fused for permanency.

I am missing color. The next one will be more colorful. I am planning 6 more paintings. I feel a series needs at least 12 paintings.

charcoal on milk paint, on board

Is She Waiting for Her Lover?

In this painting from the Remembrances series, we see a young woman from the 1900's who is quietly waiting. Is she waiting for her beau? If so, is her on his way? Has he forgotten? While I was working on this image, I felt that it was a person she was waiting for.

These old images are created with modern techniques to bring the essence into the now. Although customs, communication and dress have changed, have our desires to be cherished changed?

This painting needs no framing. 60 x 80 cm. $2000, @Artfinder

beginning ink drawing

details in milk paint. milk paint is absorbent and holds the layers of encaustic

oil glazes over the encaustic

A Painting From Start to Finish

This new series is evolving in its own direction. The technique is something new and different for me. I am starting with an ink drawing over milk paint on a board. I choose milk paint because it creates a porous surface that is compatible with encaustic. After I get the ink drawing to meet my satisfaction, I apply several coats of clear encaustic medium. It has been challenging because my studio is cold and the encasutic hardens fast and is difficult to get as smooth as I would like. I've tried putting the painting out in the sun to warm the surface before applying the encasutic, but as soon as I bring it back in the studio, it cools off.

I use oil glazes for color and charcoal to get the blackest blacks. Both the oil and charcoal have to be fused to the encasutic for permanence. I then go in and do some scraping with a razor blade and/or a ceramic tool. Here is the result.

Me and the Boys, 100 x 80 cm. $2,800