Inspired by the beach and nature, Peg Wells has prepared a gallery exhibit composed of hot wax encaustic and cold wax collage. The work is decorative, but with a purpose that is secure in the strength of using natural elements. Her provocative style proves that a quiet approach can have a very powerful effect. Summer time resident and artist Peg Wells, who exhibits in the winter-season at the Saddle Brooke Resort/ Primary Studio in Arizona, presents new work in an ocean theme for Fairweather’s. WELCOME BACK TO SEASIDE!
“Wonder of the Sea” by Peg Wells. Cold Wax Painting.
“From the Depths” by Peg Wells. Cold Wax Painting.
Q: What is Cold Wax Painting, you ask?
A: Cold Wax Painting is not defined by subject matter nor the degree of realism or abstraction, Cold Wax Painting is unified by artists’ shared interest in experimentation, texture and the physicality of paint layers. In its own way, Cold Wax Painting blurs the line between oil painting and encaustic painting.
Cold Wax is a mixture of natural beeswax, solvent and a small amount of resin. The term “cold” in beeswax painting refers to the fact that heat is not required for working with this wax medium – as it dries by solvent evaporation, rather than the cooling of the wax, as in encaustic painting. As the solvent evaporates out of the medium, the soft wax hardens to the density of a beeswax candle.
Cold Wax is creating a variety of textures within a painting. It gives a clean break off the brush or knife, retaining the sharp peaks of impasto. These working properties allow for expressive brush marks and the ability to carve into paint layers with palette knives. Cold Wax also gives oil colors a beautiful translucent quality, similar to the seductive surfaces of encaustic paintings.
Q: What is encaustic painting, you ask?
A: Pronunciation: en-caws-tick, is a paint consisting of pigment mixed with beeswax and fixed with heat after its application. –n. The Greek word is enkaustikos –to burn in.
Encaustic dates back to the ancient Greeks, as far back as the 5th century BC. Ancient ship builders used beeswax, resin to seal, and waterproof their vessels. Ultimately, they began adding pigment to the wax-giving rise to the decoration of spectacular ships. To paint with encaustic, a combination of beeswax, resin and pigment is combined and then melted to a liquid state. Encaustic paintings have many layers of wax. Depending on the piece, it is not uncommon to have anywhere from 25-50 layers.
“Surf” Encaustic by Peg Wells
It’s not always obvious whether an abstract work of art should be hung vertically or horizontally. Oftentimes on a contemporary piece, the artist signs that work on the back, which allows the gallerist and interested clients to determine how the art could be oriented for display.
“I am grateful that my art found a gallery presence for my seventh summer season with you! I do appreciate your support of my art and me as an artist. I hope that my art will find new homes and that it will bring as much pleasure to people as it has given me create. Thank you.” —Peg Wells
WELCOME BACK TO SEASIDE!
For more information about the gallery, please go to www.fairweatherhouseandgallery.com