A strange little job…

Today one of the jobs on my "to do list" is removing the wax residue on these little copper balls.

They will be part of my third attempt at the still in progress “Entwined in the Community” painting. The wax that is on them is left over from when they were imbedded in the first attempt.

I’m off to boil the jug to get them all cleaned up. What strange little jobs are you up to today?

"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! 

Copper and Canvas in My Creative Space

“Scarred”

acrylic, pastel, copper and thread on canvas

20 x 20 cm

2010

I have been feeling so much more creative now that I have a little bit more time to focus on my artistic pursuits. I took a little of my own advice, I have been pushing myself outside my comfort zone and experimenting with collage. This is so different to anything I have crated before and I really like it. What do you think? Should I add it to my Etsy shop?

Be sure to pop over to Kirsty’s to check out what’s going on in other creative spaces all over the world.

ps I think the dryer balls from my creative space last week have really cut down on my drying time!