To Bead True Blue 2014

To Bead True Blue is one of my favorite art retreats. Tucson is a perfect balmy and sunny 70*; women arriving have a skip in their step as they wheel through the halls with their little supply suitcases, with high expectations. Those who come, take workshops to unwind and release their spirits and voices. You can feel the hallways and classrooms humming as each individual sets off to make their artistic dream come true. The teachers are kind and funny, friendships and bonds are instantly forged by all, and the classrooms overflow with the energy of connecting and creating.

And this year my Encaustic students are in for a real treat.

I am teaching four Encaustic workshops, each of them highlighting a different aspect of Encaustic technique, and they’re all going to be energizing and fun! The coolest thing is that this year we’ll do a full Encaustic painting in two of my classes (Word Shield and Cryptic Encaustic) and then translate the painting into a piece of jewelry.

And my classes are all 6 hours this year, so we’ll have more time to play, expand our skills, discuss ideas and share without the rush.

Wearable Encaustic Shrines is on February 2nd. In this workshop we will use tins and bezels to create a variety of small shrines using Encaustic casting, pouring, collage, and faux-finishing techniques with colorful Encaustic wax inside the bezels and tins. And I’ll show you some fun ways to make raised and recessed areas in the wax that are very shrine-like. 

Word Shield is on February 3rd. In this workshop we will play with layering and scraping Encaustic wax colors to get an antique look, I’ll show you how to photo transfer an image onto the painting (for those who want a portrait under their script), and then we will write in metallic script on the surface of the wax- we will do this process first as an Encaustic painting, then as a piece of Encaustic jewelry .

Cryptic Encaustics is on February 4th. In this workshop we will play with layering beautiful transparent colored Encaustic wax, then use deep stamping and excavating on the surface- first as an Encaustic painting, then as a piece of Encaustic jewelry.

Waxing Images is on February 5th. In this workshop we will make multiple Encaustic pendants, playing with colorful imagery, using wax inlay (intarsia), and wax photo transfer. These pendants are a lot of fun, as the size is very unintimidating and the technique very childlike and friendly.

I am really looking forward to meeting my students and having some Encaustic fun so I hope you’ll sign up (go to my workshop page) and we’ll see you there!!!!

-Linda