"Entwining"

Detail of “Entwined in the Community” in progress

Encaustic and copper on mounted linen

Today I hope to get the entwining part of my latest work “Entwined in the Community” done.  It will involve lots of carefully, but forcefully find paths through the copper balls for the needle and twine.  

Detail of “Entwined in the Community” in progress

Encaustic and copper on mounted linen

Time consuming and a little frustrating, but oh so satisfying as it the piece is so close to finished…

I wonder if anything simular is happening in other creative spaces across the globe…

It’s a bit like watching grass grow…

I’m spending a lot of time today waiting for copper to cool and wax to set. 

Detail of “Entwined in the Community” in progress

Encaustic and copper on mounted linen

Every time I paint a layer I have to fuse it (heat the surface with my heat gun) and in the process the copper wire balls heat up.  Then I have to wait for it to all cool down and set again so I can paint the next layer (the copper keeps it heat for quite a while – so it is making the process quite drawn out).  

If I moved onto the next layer before it was really cool and set I might dislodge the balls with my paint brush.  In reality there is so little to do until this piece is finished, but it is going to take some time and patients to get there.  I’m not very good at all this waiting business! 

Anticipation…

We are getting really close to living here now…  I can’t wait to hang out on the deck every day; it’s so peaceful among the tree tops, listening to the water trickling down our little creek.

  

We don’t have an exact date yet, but soon, about 3 weeks.  They are going to be the longest 3 weeks ever!

Work in Progress...

I’m loving the background I am working on in My Creative Space this week.  I have my fingers crossed that the whole painting goes as smoothly as this stage has, as I have already entered it in a competition!  

 

 The vision in my head is great (it will be a bit like this one), just got to hope I can bring it to life…  I have a bit of time to rework it if it is a flop, so not too much pressure...

Wish me luck.

Box Making…

No painting today, I’m making a box...  

I’m speaking about my arts practice tonight at the Creative Generator [Social] Networking Event.   I know public speaking – ARRGGHH, I said yes really quickly before the chicken in me could think about how nerve racking it was going to be!

But back to the box making. … I am taking along this piece, Community Ties and so it makes it there and back safely, I am making it a little box.  

If you have something precious that needs boxing, check out this lecture for some great tips.  He makes some really valuable points within the lecture, my favourite being” If you show people that you honour and respect your work, they will too”.  

Wish me luck for tonight, my stomach is doing summersaults!  

“Community Connections”

“Community Connections”

Kylie Marie Stevens

encastic on linen

300 x 300mm

2011

Each little circle - a person…

Each little line - a connection…

Each connection - a building block with which strong communities grow…

This piece symbolises the connections and community that I have found online.  Such beautiful and fruitful connections with so much room to grow.

Create some more online connections of your own over here.