Jamie Ribisi-Braley

Weaving scarves on the loom

2012-01-23T23:21:00.001-05:00

My new loom

Last month I posted about my new venture: weaving. I've since acquired a Structo Artcraft table loom. The loom is 21" wide so it's perfectly suited to make scarves, placemats, and small rugs or runners. I've started off with scarves and am absolutely loving it!

My 1st scarf - cotton chenille & cotton

2nd scarf - bulky cotton boucle & cotton

I've always been drawn to fiber but didn't quite know how to incorporate it into my art and craft. I have a friend who weaves and she sat me down in front of a floor loom and taught me the ropes, so to speak. A very comprehensive book and many Youtube videos later and I'm throwing that shuttle as fast as I can!

It's a nice break to take from the painting studio and a great thing to do while watching tv. I have my loom set up on the coffee table so that I can be fairly comfortable (if you know of an ergonomic loom, please let my back know!)

The major downfall to weaving is how completely addicting it is! The worst part is all of the beautiful yarn out there!! I've been so enamored with the hand dyed yarn from Yarntopia Treasures-- she will custom dye to your whim or you can choose from her color palettes and/or at hand supply. I've been using her bulky cotton for my weft (the shorter part of my scarves) and just purchased some thinner yarn to be used in future warps (the long threads that run the length of the scarf.) It's the best and the cotton boucle is so darn soft!!

I'll keep posting my progress-- more very soon!

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

A new venture

2011-12-18T14:01:00.000-05:00

...almost done...

Because I can't stay only on one project and because I can't help but learn new things... I started learning how to make rag rugs! Inspired by the weaving of an artist I am mentoring- she showed me how to weave on a loom and I was so taken with it! I'm working on getting a table top loom but in the meantime, I needed to learn how to weave something fast.

I've always been drawn to rag rugs and decided to research how they were made. Some google searching and youtube watching later, I found out that I could make my own rug frame. Since I'm a painter, I have a ton of canvas stretcher bars hanging around the studio and they work perfectly! On the shorter sides, I put some nails in one inch apart and then strung some dyed cotton yarn as the warp.

The piece above is bathmat sized and a good starter project. I'm going to go bigger and tighter on my next rug and I think I've found a great new hobby! (I'll post a tutorial soon!)

a view of the warp before I started weaving

Where do you start?

2011-12-05T22:21:00.001-05:00

"Talked Into It" casein & wax pastel on arches watercolor paper mounted on cradled board 6 x 6", available here

The other day, my friend, who has known my paintings for a few years, asked me about my process, "Where do you start?" An interesting question that I never had asked of me before!

Right now in my current paintings I start with a ground color, since I know I'll typically scrape away parts of the painting to reveal it. Then I think about a general color palette, knowing full well that it'll change as I paint. And I just go from there, drawing, painting, scribbling, scraping, layering, until I'm happy with where it lands. Sometimes I draw shapes, sometimes words usually from things I'm thinking or a conversation with myself, or what I'm watching on tv or something my husband says. Sometimes it turns into an inside joke with myself and I name the piece after that.

Anyway-- I'm thinking of all of this as I continue to post my new small paintings in my Etsy shop.

So tell me, where do you start?

What I'm Working On Now

2011-11-13T11:14:00.001-05:00

I'm working on some new ways to work and display my work on paper. I've mounted some heavy duty Arches cream paper on cradled wood panels. I used archival glue and a brayer to apply the paper and get all the air out from underneath it. What a soothing process. And I love the way that they look. I almost don't want to paint on them!

I'm working on these smaller ones (6x6" and soon to come 10x10") for the December 2nd ArtWalk Gardiner. The larger ones are 8x10" for the 8x10x80 show at the Harlow Gallery.

Today I'm going to paint on them and see what comes to light. Working on some utilitarian items, too...next post! :)

Giveaway winners!!!

2011-09-28T17:50:00.000-04:00

HOORAY!!! We have winners! Cue the music!!

Thank you all for entering my giveaway! And than you for the jokes and being nice!!!!

So here we go......... The winners are:

Prize: One (1) First Prize winner will have $75 transferred to their new or existing IPFH account
Caroline!! Congrats, Caro! Now you can get tons of photos of your cutie offspring! :) Oh yeah, and your awesome photographs & illustrations, too!

Prize: One (1) Second Prize winner will have $50 transferred to their new or existing IPFH account
Bob-o! Congrats, BOB! I can't wait to see you add your awesome landscape photography to your Etsy Shop!

Prize: Three (3) Third Prize winners will have $25 transferred to their new or existing IPFH account
Winners: #1- Nancy!! My triplet twin! Congrats!!! I know you'll have lots of great photographs printed!! Go big! :)
#2- Bob again!! Way to use your multiple entries, Bob!!!! It's like you won first prize!
#3- Mary-Anne! Yeah! Hooray!!

OK gang-- so please look for my email to you and reply back with the info that I need and I will transfer some dough into your IPFH account!

Thanks for playing!!!

Giveaway: iPrintFromHome.com dollars

2011-09-19T23:16:00.000-04:00

So I've told you all before how much I love ordering my giclee and photographic prints from iprintfromhome.com - It's honestly true. I don't endorse many companies unless I truly love their product and service. I actually don't really endorse any companies. But I joined their Ambassador Program because I truly do believe in their prints and trust them tons. When someone says that I referred them or click on the link in my blog, I get 'thank you dollars' in my account that I can use to buy myself prints. I jokingly said to them the other day that I refer to myself as a 'whore for iprintfromhome' to all of my friends but, when I recently checked out the balance in my ambassador account, I'd have to re-title myself as an IPFH 'high class escort.'

I have a ton of dough in that account! And here's the best part....I want to share it all with you!!!

That's right, I'm holding a giveaway and five lucky recipients will have the pleasure of ordering prints of their own work from iprintfromhome.com! You can use the credit towards anything they have for sale...canvas prints, mounted giclee prints, giclees, photographic prints- you name it! If you're not an artist that needs prints, no problem, you can order photographic prints of family photos. View a full list of items and services that they offer here.

Prizes!! My five prizes will be:
One (1) First Prize winner will have $75 transferred to their new or existing IPFH account
One (1) Second Prize winner will have $50 transferred to their new or existing IPFH account
Three (3) Third Prize winners will have $25 transferred to their new or existing IPFH account

Kinda fine print: There is no cash value. Winners will need to tell me the email address associated with their existing or new iprintfromhome.com account. I will give that email to IPFH solely for them to transfer the credit from my account to yours.

Winners will be picked at random from names drawn on Wednesday September 28, 2011 at 5:30pm Eastern Time. I will blog the winners and contact them right away. Please make sure that I have a way to contact you (blogger profile with contact info or include your email/website in your post).

So here's the deal, you can enter this giveaway 3 times! Do one or all of the following:

Post below and say something nice. Anything nice at all will do! (we all like to hear something nice once in a while)
Do something nice for someone you know or a random stranger then tell your story below!
Post a joke! We could all use a laugh :)

That's it! Please feel free to share this link and get your friends in on the action- think about your artist friends. And if you're so inclined, please check out my etsy shop jamieribisi.etsy.com

*************GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED- look for my next post for winners!**********

Nielsen wood frames

2011-09-11T19:48:00.001-04:00

Nielsen Wood Frame Kit - as purchased

Recently, I had 2 works on paper and a painting accepted into an exhibition "In the Shadows of the Mind" at Monkitree Gallery in Gardiner, ME (opening is this Friday, Sept 16th at 5:30pm). I am beyond excited because these works on paper have never been exhibited in a gallery before and I can't wait to see how they are received.

But I was also very excited and a bit intimidated to venture into the world of framing. I've framed before but I wanted to find an affordable frame that was easy to assemble and to exactly the right size. I instantly thought of Nielsen frame kits, you know, the metal frames that many photographers use. I love their simplicity but I don't like the coldness of the metal next to my paintings or drawings. So I searched, and searched, and searched. Nothing was affordable and nothing was exactly the right size. These particular pieces are 15" square which is a little awkward for store-bought frames. Then I came across something I was unfamiliar with, Nielsen's wood frame kits! Exactly the warmth that I wanted, easy to assemble, and from a name that I trust. They come in 3 colors: black, mahogany, or natural pine.

You purchase the kits by the interior size that you need-- each kit is a set of two sides so you will need to buy two kits per frame that you are looking to make. In my case, I purchased 2 sets of 15" kits per frame. (If you want an 8x10" frame you'd buy one kit that's 8" and one that's 10")

how the sides assemble

Each kit comes with two H shaped plastic pins that you insert into each mitered corner after putting a small amount of wood glue onto the mitered edges. I found this fairly simple to do, out of the two frames that I made, one had a corner that didn't exactly match up but with a little finagling it was hardly noticeable. The pins can be pushed in about half way by hand and then the rest of the way with light hammering of a mallet.

Blogger won't upload this in the correct direction. What jerks.

So the only other things you'll need are: 1) glass cut to size; don't go by the size of the frame, there will be a fraction of an inch extra on each and I recommend assembling the frames and then measuring the size of glass that you'll need. Most hardware stores will cut glass for you. 2) mat board; even if you are not showing the mat, you may want to still put it in there for support. I recommend acid-free. 3) backing board; this will be visible from the back. I used a thick black acid free mat board that went in after my mat board. 4) glazier points; again, available at the hardware store. I got the ones that you can see above- they are shaped like a pointy heart and a raised edge on the metal, this makes it easy to push in the point with a flat head screwdriver. 5) d-rings or strap hangers with screws to tie the next item to 6) framing wire.

a full view of the back - I glued my business card to the back of the mounting board and wrote my title on it

finished products

And here are the finished products! The black frames did need to be touched up on the edges because you could see the natural color of the wood at each miter point. Not too bad and easy to correct with a touch up pen. I placed another order and am waiting for the natural pine frames, I think that'll look even better and not have the need to be touched up. I'll report back!

Some additional specs: The 1-1/8" rabbet accepts stretched canvas or matted or mounted art. Has a 3/4" face and 1-1/2" side depth. Sits very nicely on a wall!

Where can you find the best price on these frames-- glad you asked because I found that out, too. Jerry's Artarama had the best price I could find.

If you wind up using these or have used them in the past, let me know! I'd like to know what you think of them. I still don't love framing but this is inexpensive and relatively easy.

How to prep with Oil Ground

2011-08-25T12:55:00.008-04:00

I've been working on cradled wood panels lately and thought I'd share some quick & dirty instructions on how to prep a board with oil ground. First step is taping off your edges with a thick painter's or drafting tape. I like having the natural wood as my clean edge, you can choose to prep and paint your edges, if you wish, but I like the look and feel of a crisp clean edge. Any excess tape I just fold around the back of the panel since you're just going to take this off when you're done painting anyway. Be sure that the tape edge facing the front of the panel matches up to the edge and that you press it down hard. I've learned the hard way-- don't settle for cheap tape!! It either won't stick and you'll have paint seeping through everywhere or it'll stick too much and literally pull pieces of your wood off...I never thought that was a possibility but it is!

Above is a look at my panels all taped up.

I like using Gamblin Oil Painting Ground (they have a pretty cool video there and tons of technical info if you want to read further). Now, don't get confused... oil ground is very different from gesso. Gesso that is commonly used today is an acrylic base; oil ground is linseed oil based. Acrylic gesso is good, quick, and pretty nice but oil ground trumps it for me because oil ground has a luminosity that really shows through your paint. Since I'm painting in fairly thin layers, I want a ground that will showcase the colors that I've mixed. Oil ground also requires less application of layers and less material so don't be fooled by the price when compared to gesso. If you're prepping on canvas or linen you'll need to size the material, first, with PVA or your choice of sizing. Since I'm painting on wood, there is no need to size.

The only materials that you really need for this job is your painting surface, oil ground, latex gloves, a stick of some sort (I use an old pencil), and an old credit card or gift card. I emphasize old because you're not getting it back from the oil Gods. "Why a credit card," you say? Do you think I'm not going to explain, I will, I will. Oh, and open a window, damn it! This is oil based so you need to properly ventilate your studio.

So put on your gloves and take that pencil/stick and dunk it into the pot of oil ground and then drizzle it all over your surface. It's ok if you put too much on, you can always scrape it off and put it back in the pot during the next step, which is my favorite step.

Take the old credit card and use that to scrape the paint really thinly over the entire surface. A new painting tool!! How cool is that? Be sure to keep the bottom of the card clean in between swipes once it gets a little cakey-- just wipe it off on a towel. A credit card or an old gift card or an old forgotten to be returned hotel room keycard (I swear I thought I returned it) work great because you can put even pressure on it, it's flexible, and you don't have to pay for it! You can also use a roller or a flat sponge brush or something but I really love using the cards for a smooth finish.

Keep doing this until your entire surface is covered with oil ground in a very thin coat. You'll be amazed at how little you use. Let dry for about a day and then put on a second coat in the same way. You can sand with a super fine sandpaper and dust between coats if you'd like a very smooth surface. Let your second coat dry for at least 2-3 days; remember, this is oil paint so it will take some time to completely dry. Then you're ready to paint!

Once your painting is complete, simply remove the taped edges pulling the tape towards the front of the painting.

An extra optional step: If you like having a color to your ground, you can mix any dry painter's pigment into the ground first! Customize the color ground you want to use.

And a word of advice: to keep your can of ground lasting a long time, cut a piece of wax paper to the width of the can and place it on the top of the oil. That'll keep the air in the can from drying it out. Then seal it tightly. This also works for home paint and is a tip I probably learned from This Old House. (If it's latex or acrylic paint, then use a piece of plastic wrap to do the same trick.) I am all about saving you money.

Let me know if you have any questions!

New work

2011-06-14T23:20:00.004-04:00

I really have had a great time loosening up and working on this newest grouping of paintings on paper. They helped me work through the larger paintings on board that I've been doing while being completed paintings of their own.

Throughout my years of painting, I've almost always done representational paintings. It's how I learned to paint. It's pretty much all I've known. But I've been so drawn to mark making, movement, and color. And I've also been very moved by non-representational art. I've been wanting to make the move to creating pieces that took the familiar representational aspects out of the composition and just focus on the movement and the color. I'm happy with what's developing and anxious to see where it takes me next.

I've always been a very deliberate painter. I'm happy to let that go and to let the paint and the moment tell me where to go next.

After completing the works on paper I'm holding in the images here, I created this casein painting on cradled wood. It's called "Haywire" and is 16" square.

I'm really excited about this painting -- the layers of casein paint mixed with graphite, litho crayon, and water soluble wax crayons really were fun to work with. There are subtle colors popping through the marks and I'm hoping to explore that more in future paintings.

Never know what will develop at the next studio session!

Casein paintings on paper

2011-05-09T16:56:00.006-04:00

A closer look at my new paintings on paper- these are all Casein & Graphite on Arches paper. I've been making them for the Gardiner Art Walk this Friday, May 13th from 5:30-9pm.

If there are any left after the Art Walk, I'll be listing them on my website and Etsy shop.

Rhythm

2011-05-08T17:51:00.005-04:00

I've been in a nice rhythm the past few weeks creating new work for an upcoming Art Walk. This is one of my favorite ones so far; it's 15" square and is casein and mixed media on cream Arches paper.

If you'd like to see more, click here and see the rest on Flickr. And if you're in the area, come on by to the Gardiner Art Walk on Friday May 13, 5:30pm to 9pm. I'll be at 307 Water St.

Painting with Casein

2011-03-27T11:34:00.017-04:00

The life of a blog tends to have its ups and downs, the moments of dead air and moments of frantic energy. I'm sure you see it in the other blogs that you follow. There are always the "I've been neglecting my blog" posts and they happen every so often for just about everyone that I know.

For me, it happens because I'm working on something new and I'm not yet ready to share those moments and talk about them. I want to see where they go organically and not because I'm forcing myself to share and talk about them.

"So what have you been doing lately," you ask? So glad you asked :)

I've decided to explore yet another antiquated medium-- casein. Casein paint is a material derived from milk protein. It's water soluble and very fun to work with. The flow feels like a hybrid of watercolor and acrylic but it is certainly its own beast. I chose to explore it because I was beginning to work drawing into my paintings. I needed something that dried relatively fast but would play nicely with graphite both in the wet and dry phases.

I've been working on both virgin wood and a prepared ground (I'll note the difference in the images posted here); I've found that I prefer the finished look in the ground. Working on a virgin wood, the paint absorbs extremely fast, which is ok but challenging at times. You certainly have to chase the painting a lot harder. Working this way created a pleasing atmospheric quality but the wood wound up getting little areas that were similar to fuzz on a good sweater. Not the look I was going for.

Working on a ground is my preferred way to paint with casein (for now, anyway!) because it gives the painting a luminosity that is unattainable on the bare wood. It also makes the paint flow like a dream. Plus, I really love applying ground to wood. That's my new favorite prep activity. Taping off the edges on the other hand... don't care for it too much.

(above: My Black Eye, 6" x 8"; no ground)

Aggregate, 20" x 24"; ground

Breaking Off The Middle Part, 16" x 16"; no ground

Salad (Tosser), 20" x 24"; ground

More Nature, More Squares

2010-12-30T15:52:00.003-05:00

Nature Squares, 6" x 6" each, Encaustic & Photo Transfer

Loving the simplicity of high contrast photo transfers on a bed of wax! I have a total of 15 squares and 4 rectangles. The counting of which led me to wonder the amount of paintings that I made in 2010. Well, folks, I completed 36 paintings! (plus a few that I'm still on the fence about being finished) That's definitely a record for me.

And thinking back to my days in college, especially my senior year, I had a battle with making any paintings. But having inspiration all around you really changes the game. I went to college in Boston and being in a city inspired my drawings and my photography, which I wound up being prolific in those years. But paintings? Yeah, I didn't do much. I did spend my senior year really studying color and mixing oil paint like crazy on my palette. But that doesn't make for finished pieces. I do think that it helped me in my profession, for sure. I'm happy to have spent the time focused on that (although I know my professor thought otherwise).

Anyway... Living in Maine, being surrounded by nature, having a studio space... it keeps me inspired! Looking forward to what the new year brings.

Nature Squares

2010-12-06T14:30:00.006-05:00

On this wonderful winter's snowy day in Maine I'm taking some me time to update my Etsy shop and share my new work!

Each painting is 6" x 6" on cradled wood and is painted with encaustic. The images are transfers of my digital photographs done using the Xerox and water transfer method.

Cottage studio

2010-07-22T18:23:00.004-04:00

click for larger pic

I've been having some creative blocks and I think the solution may be to change where I'm working. I love the studio inside of my house but I really do love the idea of moving outside---but into a covered area. We have a one room cottage in our yard and I'm very excited to start thinking about transforming it into a real studio. I want a place that I can paint and not worry about the smells lingering. And a studio that I can work LARGE and hang my work on the walls.

So this is the BEFORE photo. This is what we have to work with. It's just filled with some random junk and needs insulation and some simple walls. But I think it's going to be fabulous!

This is a shot showing the loft space up top. I can even take a nap in my studio if I want to! haha

Art in the Barn-- starts tomorrow!

2010-07-15T09:58:00.005-04:00

THREE ARTISTS COLLABORATE IN CUSHING SHOW

A wood-carver, a painter, and a jewelry artist will join efforts to produce a show of their work at the Cushing Historical Society Friday - Sunday, July 16 - 18, another of the Arts in the Barn summer exhibition series. The show will open Friday evening, 5 - 7 p.m., at the Society's barn on Hathorne Point Road, and will continue Saturday and Sunday, 10 - 4 p.m.

Cushing resident Bob Matus, boat-builder, carpenter, and lobster fisherman, is a wood-carver in his spare time. As he works he keeps an eye out for interesting wood scraps and pieces of driftwood that have the potential to become such things as mermaids, eagles, or elegant ladles, spatulas and spoons. He markets his carvings under the name Heron Cove Wood Carving, and is represented by several Maine galleries.

Painter Jamie Ribisi-Braley earned a BFA in painting at Boston University. She now resides in Manchester, Maine, where she operates Sweetland Retreat, a retreat for artists, with her husband and sister. She specializes in encaustic painting, a medium that she teaches and uses in her own work.. Her paintings have been shown in galleries nation wide and the State House in Augusta.

Deb Hanson is a part-time Cushing resident who will present her jewelry, and acrylic and oil paintings in the show. Hanson says that she incorporates what she calls the "Colors of Cushing," the unique colors of the St. George River fishermen's buoys, in her work. Her jewelry is fashioned with handmade beads and silver accents that have been inspired by the reflections of the sea.

Admission to the show is free. For more information call 354-8219

**********
If you're in Maine, please attend our Artist's Reception to kick off our Art in the Barn Weekend!
Friday July 16th, 5-7pm. Free local wine and cheese will be served.
**********

Encaustic exhibit opens today!

2010-06-25T17:00:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited for the opening of the Luminous Layers exhibition! Even though I can't be there in person, I am there in spirit and in paint :) Two of my painting were accepted into the juried show and I'm so proud to see one of them at the bottom of the postcard that they sent out (pictured above).

I really do wish I could be there-- there are tons of demos and talks. Mostly I would have loved to meet the other artists in person! The online encaustic world is always buzzing with excitement (pun intended) and I feel like I already know everyone but it would be so nice to actually meet them.

Another time, I'm sure!

a little peek

2010-06-18T15:38:00.002-04:00

A little peek at what I was working on today. These are 11x14" canvases that I repainted over (failed attempts from long ago). These are made from oil paint, oil bars, and oil pastels.

Looking down a parallel path

2010-06-17T23:39:00.004-04:00

I've been in a sort of rut for a while. Thinking of where to go next, artistically. The imagery hasn't totally shown itself to me and I've been wondering how to coax it along.

I recently won a gift certificate for art supplies through Dick Blick and took the opportunity to get some new art supplies and venture into a new realm. I started with Gamblin Oil Ground to prep some large wood panels with. I also ordered some wide masking tape to keep the edges of the panels clean. Then I got a mix of black, white, & gray oil sticks which I've been dying to experiment with for a long time. I also threw in some charcoal powder and graphite powder. this is going to be fun!

I have a vague idea of what I want to do but I'm really excited to just start working and see where it goes. Using the Gamblin oil ground is pretty sweet. I've never used it before but was looking for a ground that could be used with encaustic, if I

decided to add that as a medium in the future of these pieces (acrylic gesso doesn't jive with wax). What I really like so far about the oil ground is the application. It only takes 2 layers-- the first can be slightly thinned with Turpenoid and applied with the side of an old credit or gift card! Yes-- exactly what I needed-- more household items to use as art supplies!!! This layer goes on so thin but is a very vibrant white. The

next layer, which I plan on doing tomorrow, is applied as-is from the can and takes a bit of time to dry but I think overall will be much nicer than acrylic gesso.

I'll be sure to keep you updated on the progress; hopefully the new materials will inspire me!

You can watch a really great video tutorial on the Gamblin oil ground here.

Student work

2010-06-15T19:46:00.002-04:00

These wonderful paintings were created at the Intro To Encaustic Painting workshop that I taught last week at Sweetland Retreat. I love watching artists work and this group of 4 women worked so well together. They were constantly looking over to see what the next person was working on and giving each other ideas. I love the variety of techniques and materials that they used and wanted to share them with you!

(she used gold and silver leaf in her painting!)

The mermaid painting is done using layers of blue tissue paper.

I've been framed...

2010-05-22T13:24:00.006-04:00

I'm so happy to have made the decision to have these two paintings professionally framed. They have both been shipped cross country for the Luminous Layers encaustic exhibition in Oregon at the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts.

Although these paintings are a decent size on their own (12" square), I really wanted them to stand out and look finished so I brought them over to a friend of mine who does framing. I am so impressed with the outcome, I know I'm going to keep going back to them!

They have their working studio, Artifacts, on their beautiful farm in Farmingdale, ME and also have a showroom in Topsham. You can visit them online and see other examples of their framing & guilding here: http://www.artifactsmaine.com/

Hooray!

2010-05-03T21:43:00.002-04:00

I was just selected to be Dick Blick's Artist of the Month! You can see more on their Facebook page. I've been awarded a gift certificate to spend on art supplies...what more could a girl ask for?? :)

New encaustic painting

2010-04-05T20:38:00.002-04:00

The Tree Is the Real Thing
Encaustic & Mixed Media on wood
24" x 24"
April 2010

title from the quote: "Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."
-Abraham Lincoln

I started this large encaustic painting in June of last year and I finally finished it today! What a great feeling to get this monkey off of my back :) Seriously though, I've had a good time trying out some new techniques and color schemes and trying to make it all meld.

I had known that I wanted to use this image but I wasn't sure where I wanted to go with it. It went through many lives, as I posted in an animated gif last year, and I finally pared it down to the elements that I thought it really needed. This was supposed to be another in the series of "Ghost of the Past" but it definitely has a different story than the others so I'm letting it into the world on its own.

Passage - small Encaustic Painting

2010-03-04T14:05:00.002-05:00

Passage
Encaustic on cradled wood
6" x 6"
February 2010

Exploring more ghosts, the afterworld, and communication with the beyond!

This is a small painting-- sort of a study for some larger pieces I've been stewing about for a while. I'm thinking about pattern, carving, and multiple figures. Trying to work out these visions in my head that are a bit foggy. Will hopefully have something started on them soon.

Available in my Etsy Shop, JamieRibisi.etsy.com

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Teeny Tiny Paintings...

2010-02-09T09:41:00.003-05:00

The art opening was a huge success! What a beautiful show filled with wonderful people and glorious artwork. It was very inspiring to see so much tiny art! I even purchased a teeny tiny acrylic portrait on wood of a lumberjack :) There were actually two shows, both in Portsmouth, NH. Mine was at Three Graces Gallery and was the Teeny Tiny Art Show and down the street at Nahcotta was the Enormous Tiny Art Show. I saw many friend's work at both shows and that was so exciting for me!

Three Graces now has my encaustic paintings from this exhibit for sale on their website-- you can see my new series "Speaking in Tongues" there-- first place they have been on sale! And one of my favorite new pieces "They Were Standing in the Shadows (Watching) #1".

...

A big box full of paintings...

2010-01-27T19:31:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I packed up 16 small encaustic paintings to ship for the Teeny Tiny Art Show at Three Graces Gallery in Portsmouth, NH. I'm so excited to go to the opening next Friday! It's going to be so much fun to see all of them up together and amongst other teeny tiny work! I can't recall ever seeing so many of my pieces hung at one time. How cool?

If you're in the area, come on down 5-8pm on Friday February 5th, 105 Market St, Portsmouth, NH.

I'll be the one buying up everyone else's work! I'm not sure what I'm more excited about, showing my work or buying other's work!

I'm updating my website as we speak with these new pieces-- I'll share once it's uploaded.

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Color Swatches for encaustic paint!

2010-01-12T14:11:00.004-05:00

I just added these color swatches to my website so that customers can now pick from the pigment that I have available. I can always custom mix any color from these, too, as I love to do! I've been wanting to add this to my website and I'm so glad that I have because I love looking at it--- I'm such an art supply junkie!!!

Studio Clearance Sale!

2010-01-06T22:07:00.000-05:00

I'm cleaning out my studio for the New Year! Below are some paintings & drawings that I'm looking to find a happy home for way under price :) I'm also up for trades so just contact me if you're interested! jamieribisi{at}gmail.com

Prices below include shipping within the USA

Self-study, 11x14" Oil on canvas $40

Only You #2, 10x10", oil on canvas, $40

Blood & Smoke, 6x6", oil on canvas, $20

Nesting, watercolor on paper, 5.5x8.5", $20

Warmth, watercolor on paper, 5.5x8.5", $20

Jesse, Charcoal pencil & conte crayon on brown recycled paper, 24x18", $55

Table, Oil & charcoal on canvas, 11x14", $55

Reclining male #1, Sum-i ink on sketch paper, 8x9.5", $20

Arched male #1, Sum-i ink on sketch paper, 8x9.5", $20

Small reclining male #1, Sum-i ink on watercolor paper, 4x6", $10

Reclining female #1, Sum-i ink on sketch paper, 8x9.5", $20

If interested in purchasing/trading please comment here or email me at jamieribisi{at}gmail.com

First come, first served! :)

New year, new work

2010-01-01T10:32:00.002-05:00

I'm hoping that in this new year I will allow myself more time to paint and focus on my work. I've been accepted to a new show in February and am creating some new small works for it. I have some plans to create large pieces and get my work out into the public eye a bit more. Here's to 2010!

(top-bottom: Speaking in Tongues 1 & 2, 5 x 7" each, Encaustic on cradled wood

Hems and Haws

2009-12-22T09:39:00.003-05:00

While I was painting my last few oil paintings, I had this canvas on the side of my easel as a way to work out the random ideas in my head and also as a way to use up the excess paint on my palette. I really hate to be wasteful with paint (it costs so much!) so in an effort to squeeze every cent of worth out of my paint, I usually create something that's a bit of a departure. And quite freeing, too!

Occasionally when I paint, I try to think about how the piece will fit in with the body of work that I've already created. I think about it all being linear and telling a story together. This is fine, but sometimes I think the work will find a way to fit itself in just from the sheer virtue of being from the same artist. This may not always be the way that things work out, but it's ok to open yourself up to experimentation and see where that goes. Right? :)

Hems and Haws
Oil on Canvas
20 x 20"
July 2009

Available in my Etsy shop.

New drawings/paintings...They Were Standing in the Shadows Watching

2009-11-23T23:59:00.005-05:00

After some thinking, asking, & experimenting....I've finished some drawings/paintings on paper (I never know what to call them-- what do you say?) of an image I've had in my head for a while. These are each 15 x 15" on thick watercolor paper. I started with a charcoal base which I then over painted with white acrylic. The mixture of the white and the charcoal produced the grays and I then drew into it with a stick of graphite.

I was so happy with these that I also did a large drawing and then translated the imagery to encaustic paintings--- I'll post pictures of those soon!

Will be available on my website soon!

I need YOUR story for a new art project!

2009-11-01T19:23:00.002-05:00

So, I'm working on a new art project. I'd like to have other people help me by sharing your stories and photos. This can be about you or you can enlist someone else to submit their info to me. ((Feel free to pass on this info!))

Here's a vague idea-- I don't want to taint it with details so I'm trying to keep it simple:

Tell me how you feel tied down and/or rooted to something/someone/place/whatever OR how you have felt knocked down.

It can be a good or a bad thing.
It can be sad, funny, plain, or grand.
A story of any length will work (one sentence or a long story).
This can be anonymous to the world or have your name and location attached, your choice.
I need a clear photograph of the participant which I will slightly alter to work with my project.

Email me the above and if I will send you a release form so that I can use your story & image.
jamieribisi {at} gmail.com

Website updated!

2009-10-28T22:50:00.002-04:00

I finished upgrading my website! I'm so excited to finally unveil it. I've been working very hard and trying to figure out exactly what I wanted for it and, well, here it is!!! Please take a look and let me know what you think-- I'd love some feedback: http://jamieribisi.com

New paintings

2009-10-26T22:01:00.002-04:00

(On the Verge; Encaustic, Oil Pastel, & Charcoal; 4" x 4")

I've been looking to create some new paintings to enter into the First Annual Autumn Arts Painting Challenge & Competition on Facebook led by some pretty awesome ladies/artists. Really got me thinking about creating imagery free of collage-- I wanted these paintings to be pure creation- just as the Fall is. I started with this tiny block in order to experiment with some new (to me) ideas. I wanted to use oil pastels directly on the hot plate and then mix some encaustic medium into it. This creates a very rich color that is a nice thickness. I fused it into the encaustic painting and it's interesting to see how differently it moves than just regular encaustic paint. For the specks, I crushed up some charcoal and embedded it into the painting. I wanted my next effort to have finer charcoal so.....

(Untitled; Encaustic, Oil Pastel, Charcoal, & Graphite; 12" x 12")

I wanted to challenge myself to make these next two paintings vibrant with lots of movement so I started this one with a thick pink background. I scraped the lines at the bottom right in with the tip of a sharp woodless pencil and the dots on the top left are finger prints of the super crushed charcoal with medium placed on top of it.

(Backwoods Sermon; Encaustic, Oil Pastel, & Graphite; 12" x 12")
I had this fresh green that I made and my husband said, "Slap that all over the place!" haha So I did! I used the oil pastels directly on top of the wax and also as a mixture from the hotplate as described above. I fused them until I was happier with the mixture and kept layering it all. Then I took my sharp pencil and scraped in these tree images. There's a nice dimensional quality to it with the indents that the lines made all the way through the wax until it hit the board.

I'm very happy with the results and looking forward to painting more! I love how this painting challenge made me think of moving in another direction-- it's just the pull I needed at the right moment.

Trick or Treat...

2009-09-30T09:58:00.004-04:00

Halloween is my super-favorite time of the year! It's not just the ghouls, ghosts, and vampires that get me (although I really do love that part, too!) but it's the colors!

Fall is my favorite time of the year bringing into my head all the memories of my childhood. Halloween takes me back to elementary school parades dressed in the best costumes ever. And walking around at night trick or treating in the crisp autumn air. I see it, I feel it, and I smell it. And those colors just take me back!

So I had to make a set of encaustic paint that went along with those memories. The Candy Corn set of three wax paints is what resulted. I even photographed it on an old beat up grey chair to keep going along with the vision-- how I love it all!

This is also part of the Maine Team Halloween Scavenger Hunt -- join in, it starts today!!

A new home for Abe...

2009-09-28T21:43:00.002-04:00

A few months ago I completed a series of ten paintings and immediately installed them in the Freeport Square Gallery in Freeport, Maine. The series is entitled "Mummies of the Civil War" and features prominent officers on each side of the fence. There are 5 Union men and 5 Confederate men, each molded into their own mummified form, to be preserved in their history for eternity.

The link between the Civil War images that I'm so drawn to and the history of encaustic paint going back to Egyptian times is what inspired these paintings. They each measure 10" x 22" and are on cradled birch.

Today I found out that Abe Lincoln sold-- hurray! I'll be posting more very soon-- still working on my website relaunch and on the class schedule and renovation of Sweetland Retreat.

Ring around the hot plate...

2009-08-27T13:17:00.002-04:00

Encaustic monotypes are starting to be a fun new pasttime of mine! I love noodling with it and seeing what results I can get. KISS is my new mantra for this project -- "Keep It Simple, Stupid"

Simplicity is key while working with this techinique, especially from the beginning. You can't be tied to a full thought or idea in your head because monotypes don't work that way. And, certainly, hot monotypes don't work that way! They tend to have a mind of their own. Which is fine as long as that's the only thing that you're counting on to happen correctly :)

More to come....

Rings in the Sand
Encaustic & Oil Pastel Monotype
approximately 9" x 3" on watercolor paper
August 2009

XO

2009-08-19T22:31:00.007-04:00

I've been MIA from my blog but I assure you-- I've been working hard! Teaching workshops, getting Sweetland Retreat up and running, home renovations, and summer heat; it's keeps a gal busy.

But I wanted to share with you a sample of a new treat-- Encaustic monotypes! This one is called "XO, three over nine" and made with encaustic paint and oil pastel. This was painted & drawn directly on a warm hotplate and then the print was pulled from it. It's a tough process but I love the unexpected result and guesswork.

I'll be listing it in my Etsy shop soon but I've just been enjoy 'the making' these days-- I have more to share and will be back in action posting more to my blog each week.

I still love you!

XO, three over nine
Encaustic & Oil Pastel Monotype
9" x 5"
August 2009

Encaustic workshop results...

2009-07-03T14:01:00.008-04:00

I am so impressed with the work that was produced at my Intro to Encaustic Painting workshop! The women came with such great enthusiasm and excelled SO fast!! They each made 3-4 paintings that were astonishingly beautiful. Each armed with a box full of mixed media supplies and stories behind all of their materials, it was really breathtaking for me to watch them create.

These first two are by Leslie Goode, who comes from a background of fiber arts. She brought with her natural elements such as birch bark, leaves, chinese lanterns, and rocks. The square painting started with a layer of orange encaustic which she then covered with her handmade paper. Once she fused it on with the tacking iron, the orange came through in the thinner spots of the paper creating a very beautiful textured painting.

Ronnie Decker is a mixed media artist and public school art

teacher who wanted to learn encaustic for a long time. She was so enthusiastic and came to the class toting horse hair, plastic onion bags, and feathers, amongst many other great items. She was a natural at letting the medium take over and seeing where it wanted to lead her to.

I have more photos of the rest of the class which I will blog about again...I really hope to see these ladies again in my intermediate class to see what other wonders they will create!!

The very best part of teaching is watching another artist move through the process. Seeing what they bring to the table and why; the stories behind the work and the end results. It makes me very proud to have the opportunity to work with them!!

Webcam heads up..

2009-06-22T15:55:00.004-04:00

Heads up- I plan on setting up my webcam while I paint encaustic tonight- come check it out! I have a new series that I'm going to start working on- inspired by my painting below. They are still civil war focused but they'll be on long boards and looking more like mummies. I'm so excited! Hope it all works out tonight- ~~I plan on turning on the webcam around 5:30pm. I'll update here when starting.~~
Live right now! http://www.sweetlandretreat.com/blog.htm

B&W Exhibit

2009-06-13T10:55:00.005-04:00

Two of my encaustic paintings are hanging at the Freeport Square Gallery in Freeport, ME. Both of my black & white Ghosts of the Past paintings for their B&W show. The gallery is absolutely beautiful and we also had the chance to see a live concert there last night- very cool!

Ghost hunter...

2009-06-10T23:33:00.001-04:00

Animated gif of the progress of my latest painting. It's still in progress, just one more day working on it and I think it'll be done. I really like seeing how this one has moved along! I kept changing my mind about what colors I wanted it to be and put this painting aside for a while. Then I decided to turn Abe into a rooted being and it all started to come together.

Dreams coming true!

2009-06-05T09:37:00.003-04:00

I am so excited to say that tomorrow is the first day of classes at Sweetland Retreat!!!!!!

It's been a long road of renovation and learning and growing but we've finally made it to this point! There's still work to do in order to open as a Bed & Breakfast but our goal was to have classes started by this summer and here it is...2 weeks before the Summer Solstice. Who would have thought we'd be ahead of schedule?

And to celebrate, we're offering a special discount of $10 off to anyone who takes both classes this Saturday and Sunday- The Reiki Atunement class (good for Reiki Level 1 or 2) and the Full Moon Ceremony & Drumming Circle.

So register now!

Craft Fair & friends

2009-05-31T07:55:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was the Etsy Maine Team craft fair in Freeport, ME. It was SO much fun to put more faces to names and meet people like Pam that I've known online for about a year and a half! LOVE when that happens.

The quality of the work at this show far surpassed any other show that I've done. No "granny" items, no $1 store finds or prices, it was quality all the way with fair prices for everything. I was impressed and honored to be a part of it!

I even had some interest in my encaustic classes, which is the best part for me! I love explaining the process to people and seeing their eyes light up and have them ask if they can learn it :)

Anyway- for more Maine Team info look here!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
etsymaineteam

Thank a Vet...

2009-05-22T18:03:00.004-04:00

While you're enjoying your Memorial Day this beautiful weekend, take some time and thank a Vet. I promise you it'll mean the world to them. Safe travels!

& thank you SSgt Samuel Erwin, Jr! ♥

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Here it is-- your moment of zen!

2009-05-19T22:24:00.003-04:00

Intro to Encaustic Painting - Saturday June 20th, 10am - 2pm

at Sweetland Retreat: 256 Pond Rd, Manchester, ME

Learn the ancient art of encaustic painting! Encaustic is the use of beeswax and damar resin melted together and combined with dry pigments to create a unique painting medium. This paint is applied hot/molten and manipulated with a direct heat source. It makes for a lovely layered image into which objects and photographs can be added. If you've seen a Jasper Johns painting then you've seen an encaustic painting!

This class will cover a brief history of encaustic, supplies and where to buy them, setting up, basic encaustic painting including fusing, embedding objects, and creating texture, as well as cleaning up, and caring for your paintings. Participants will complete 1-2 small paintings. No painting experience necessary. Open to ages 15 and up.

$70 includes all supplies; feel free to bring along objects to incorporate (dried natural objects, paper, and photographs on plain paper work well)

Instructor: Jamie Ribisi-Braley, Manchester, ME (<-- That's me!)

Jamie is passionate about creating art and about sharing her techniques and knowledge. She loves to learn how the old masters created their supplies and how they used them. Jamie believes that once you have the foundations of a medium, you’ll know how to make it work for your voice.

Jamie is co-owner of Sweetland Retreat and received her BFA in Painting from Boston University. http://jamieribisi.com

Register now!

Workshops available at Sweetland Retreat

2009-05-19T13:41:00.002-04:00

We are now offering our first set of workshops at Sweetland Retreat!! I'm so excited and can't wait to get the ball rolling on this! What an exciting time in our lives-- our dreams are now reality!

Our first class will be Reiki Attunement Class -Part 1 on Saturday June 6th, 1:30pm - 6:30pm

It is a 5 Hour course during which you will become a Reiki Practioner. This is the first of 3 steps in becoming a Reiki Master. Being attuned to Reiki gives one the ability to easily access the Reiki (Universal Life Force) energy, for the purpose of healing a person or situation.

Space is limited, so register now! More info and registration form available here: http://sweetlandretreat.com/workshops.htm

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Our second offering is a Full Moon Ceremony & Drumming Circle on Sunday June 7th, 7:30pm

In this special healing and releasing ceremony we will create a sacred space for healing and support and to raise a collective consciousness.

More info and registration form available here: http://sweetlandretreat.com/workshops.htm

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I'll also be listing some Encaustic classes, too! Just need to pick a date for that-- I'll post again with more info!

Please spread the word if you have friends that you think would enjoy our classes! http://sweetlandretreat.com

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Commission Progress

2009-04-30T22:51:00.006-04:00

I worked another session on this oil painting commission yesterday (and I secretly worked on it a little while ago, too! sshhh). I laid some brighter colors on top of the dark underpainting and it's starting to have some more volume now.

As I spoke about in my last progress post, I really love revisiting this composition and thinking of new colors to use. My favorite part is this vivid blue -- I'm really enjoying how it's interacting with the deep dark blue underneath it and the pinks & white of the water next to it.

Sweetland Retreat- Featured in newspaper!

2009-04-22T21:39:00.004-04:00

We were featured in the Kennebec Journal Woman's Quarterly today!

This is a wonderful article about Sweetland Retreat, the Artist Retreat and B&B that my hubby & twin sister are about to start, written by Nancy McInnus and we think it portrays us exactly as we are! She really has a gift for words. We didn't know exactly what she'd think of us giggling and rambling on about every idea we have for Sweetland and what we are trying to make it be. But she captured it brilliantly.

You can download the PDF here: http://www.sweetlandretreat.com/press/kj042209.pdf

Or you can see it on the KJ's flipbook here: http://centralmaine.mainetoday.com/flipbooks/WQflip09Spring/

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Groovy colors- what should I name this?

2009-04-20T23:12:00.001-04:00

groovy colors- what should I name this?
Originally uploaded by Jamie Ribisi-Braley

This is my newest color line but I'm stumped as to a name for it! I keep thinking of Reese's Pieces but I know that there's just a bit of copyright issue there :)

Any ideas?

If I pick your title I'll give you 20% off any item in my shop!

I've been framed...

2009-04-16T23:19:00.004-04:00

Getting ready for a big art fair I'm doing next weekend in Gorham, ME. I've framed up a bunch of my giclee prints in preparation and I'm getting nervous & excited! I'll also be selling some of my original paintings and my handmade encaustic paint, too. If you happen to be in the area come on out and visit:

University of Southern Maine - Costello Sports Complex

College Ave, Gorham, ME

Saturday, April 25th 10 AM – 4 PM
Sunday, April 26th 10 AM – 3 PM

Funny tea leaves

2009-04-04T09:42:00.003-04:00

"The Amount of Tea I Drink in a Week, mixed version"
Encaustic and Vanilla Chai Spice Tea on cradled birch

10" x 10"
March 2009

I created this slightly larger version of my tea painting series for an exhibit at the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell, ME titled "Off the Wall: Humor in Art." The opening was last night and plenty of food was had by all!

I've been working on a bunch of other paintings at once-- my mind is slightly distracted by Spring rolling in but I'm getting it in gear. I have a bunch of work that I'm looking forward to finishing and alot of wax to make! I'm also revamping my website-- can't wait to finish that project!

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All my ducks in a row...

2009-03-19T22:36:00.002-04:00

I made a 4lb batch of encaustic last night-- 35 cakes in total. Two sets of my new Venetian Vacation color line and the rest are currently just clear medium. I love how these all look stacked together!!

Thought I'd share :)

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Introductory Sale - PDF Tutorial- Making oil paint by hand

2009-03-18T18:17:00.004-04:00

To celebrate the release of my new oil paint making tutorial-- I'm putting it on sale for a limited time for $2 -- you can't beat that with a stick (unless you are cruel).

Ever wonder what goes into making a tube of oil paint? Then this tutorial is for you! Learn how to make your own oil paint from scratch! Read about the different properties of various oils and what would work best for you as an artist. Making your own paint can save hundreds of dollars a year on supplies and is a technique that is much easier than you think!

This 6 page PDF tutorial is easy to read and filled

with clear photos of each step in this process.

Includes a complete list of materials, step by step instructions, and a list of supply resources with tons of money saving suggestions!

Normally priced at the already low price of $3.50, you just can't go wrong with this deal. On sale until midnight EST March 25, 2009.

What are you waiting for? Buy it already and quench your curiousity!

PDF will be emailed to you right away- buy it at JamieRibisi.etsy.com or right here:
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Commission Progress

2009-03-11T23:00:00.005-04:00

I dipped back into my oil paints and got started on a commissioned painting for my friend, Sarah. I'm so excited to make this for her new home and brighten up her space with my work! I hope that she will love the final version and will enjoy reading about it and seeing the progress here on my blog as I go along!

She had asked me to make a painting similar to Deluge (sold last summer) but gave me complete artistic license to change around the colors, movement, feel-- whatever! It's a rare opportunity for me to be asked to revisit a painting and it's so much fun! I love going into it thinking of how to improve upon the last piece and make this one special. I've been mixing some of my own oil paint and am using it to complement my store-bought paint (that purple above the river is my own handmade color!)

You can see in this first image how I begin a painting. I lay down a very thin wash of color cause nothing's worse than facing a blank canvas! I also love to pick a color that I want to shine through the entire painting. It will give this a nice vibrancy/glow. I then rough sketch where I want things to go using some more paint. Then I get right into the color. This is how it's looking so far after my first layer of color. (Not the best photo since I'm working at night but it's what I can offer at 11pm) It'll change as I keep working on it and I'm going to add some slightly brighter colors.

I can't wait to work on this more!!!

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A wonderful day!

2009-03-02T23:09:00.003-05:00

I was surprised to find myself in an Etsy Finds email and Storque article today entitled "Yours And Yours Alone"! Not only was it nice to get recognition in such a well put together art grouping but I received over 65 shop "hearts", tons of item hearts (including over 53 on this painting), a bunch of sales, and a couple of great emails from people! It was such a great day!!

I'm so excited because I've also decided to take out a spot in a print ad for my encaustic supplies through Indiepublic that will go in the May issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. I've never done a print ad before but this seemed like such a great fit for such a wonderful magazine. I can hardly wait until May!

Maine Team ACEO Challenge

2009-02-24T18:43:00.003-05:00

The wonderful Etsy Maine Team is having an ACEO team challenge. The idea was to make an ACEO with a Maine theme that was also recycled/upcycled. I made these three while at Jes' craft brunch on Sunday. They are all made on top of recycled cereal and cell phone boxes courtesy of my hubby, and the collaged images are all from Country Living magazines that were in desperate need of being recycled. Here's the skinny on them:

-"Friggin' Fiddleheads" This one was made with Kellie in mind since she loves to say "friggin'". This one features a beautiful image of a yummy fiddlehead on top of some other local greens.

-"Sabbathday Lake Shakers" My official entry to the challenge-- Made in honor of my favorite group of people and the only remaining active Shaker Village in the world, Sabbathday Lake in New Gloucester, Maine. Among their many beautiful beliefs is the thought that everything must be made with as much skill, love, and piety as possible- even a chair for they thought that an angel might come and sit on it.

-"Silliness in the backyard" OK, this one was done as a joke and Susan's daughter Nell thought it was hilarious and prompted me to glue it down for real. Featuring the many faces of Maine: Lobsters, wild turkey, roses, and ferns :)

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Abe and Me- Progress

2009-02-21T21:30:00.002-05:00

Abe and Me
Originally uploaded by Jamie Ribisi-Braley

A progress photo of a new encaustic painting I started today. Part of my "Ghosts of the Past" series, this one features a great civil war image of Abe Lincoln visiting a camp.

This is my largest encaustic painting yet and I wanted to show the scale so I took this cheese-ball pic of me holding it :) This is just the first layer of paint and I've since added another-- this one's going to take a little bit longer than the rest! Fusing the layers is an arm aching experience but I still really enjoy it!

The top of the painting has a pink sky and the bottom, so far is a greyish green. I'm thinking of using alot of grey on top of the underpainting but I'll just have to see how things go! I love not having a plan and going with the flow- so to speak!

VAST "Welcome Spring" Trunk Show on Etsy

2009-02-17T18:42:00.003-05:00

I will be participating and co-moderating the Etsy Visual Artist Street Team's (VAST) Trunk Show tomorrow night! Come and take a look and meet new artists with a great range of styles, medium, and prices!

"Welcome Spring" will feature art from 25 VAST members who will be presenting their work LIVE! Come take a peak and ask questions-- get to know us and our art!

Wednesday 02/18 at 7pm Eastern time in the Etsy Virtual Lab Gallery Room: http://www.etsy.com/virtual_lab.php?room_id=gallery

Value Pack- Yellow Encaustic Medium

2009-02-10T22:24:00.003-05:00

I decided to list a set of 4 natural encaustic medium cakes in my shop as a value pack-- for those that like to buy in bulk! I always stock up on my art supplies so I'm sure lots of others would, too!

I love to put other people's Etsy products in my photos to help promote one another. All of the encaustic wax in my shop has great handmade items to accompany them! This one features paintings by my husband, Brian Braley. His shop is called Discarded Treasures and he focuses on using recycled materials to make great pieces of art! His paintings are so thoughtful and full of science, math, architecture-- you name it! I love to see what he creates and this top one with the letters on it is my favorite, titled "Alphabet Soup" - I just love the colors and the layers!

More on him soon-- he'll get a feature in one of my "Artists I Admire" posts-- of course! :)

Prepping Canvas

2009-02-08T19:54:00.002-05:00

I've been commissioned by a dear old friend of mine to create an oil painting for her. I'm so excited! So I've stretched a new canvas and began priming it. This picture above is of my favorite part of the prep stages-- I always brush on some water to release the sizing in the canvas and watch the water bead up-- I love it! Then I brush it in really hard and get the canvas nice and taught. Then I banged it like a drum! What a great sound.

I've applied the watered down coat of gesso already then went on a long walk to enjoy the beautiful day today in Maine. A couple more coats of straight gesso and I'll be ready to paint! I'm going to blog about my progress so that she can watch it evolve :)

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Winner announced!!!

2009-02-05T17:22:00.003-05:00

The "Hot Mess: Painting with Wax" giveaway has ended and I used Random.org to randomly pick a winner from the blog entries! The lucky post number was #19 which is..... drum roll please!

... Penguen ....

CONGRATULATIONS Penguen!! I'll be contacting you in a couple of minutes to send you your prize! Enjoy!

Giveaway reminder! Ends tomorrow-

2009-02-04T22:49:00.005-05:00

One more day left for my Encaustic Tutorial Giveaway!!

Thank you all who have entered so far!! Best of luck to you!

Click here to enter!

Etsy Beeswax Team Sale

2009-02-03T22:44:00.005-05:00

For the Love of the Bee Etsy sale

During the month of February, the Beeswax Team will be donating 5% of proceeds to the "Save the Bees" research group.

The disappearance of bees on a global scale isn’t an issue to put under the carpet. Considering bees pollinate about 1/3 of everything we eat, when bees begin disappearing, we should do more than watch it happen if we want to protect our food sources.

Please come join us and show your love this Valentine's Day in an unconventional way!

View our team comic to read more info: http://www.beeswaxteam.com/sale.html

And visit our forum thread for a full list of particpiants.
Here are your resources to help you understand CCD and for the sale this month:

To hear the Bee Team's first ever encaustic podcast
For more on Save the Bees research group
More on Colony Collapse Disorder

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5% of my proceeds from any encaustic related item in my Etsy shop will go towards bee research. Purchase any original encaustic painting, handmade encaustic paint, Hot Mess wax painting tutorial, giclee prints of an encaustic painting, or necklaces featuring encaustic work and 5% of your purchase will automatically be donated.

Daffodil Days- Help raise funds

2009-01-30T23:25:00.003-05:00

This isn't an art posting today but rather a posting from the heart! ...

When I was a kid, I volunteered for Daffodil Days to sell flowers and raise hope, awareness, & funds in honor of my grandmother's passing from cancer. The first year I participated, my grandmother was still alive and it was a wonderful feeling to hand her a bouquet of daffodils and tell her that what I had done for her.

I hope that you will join me in making any contribution that you can to bring light, hope, & love into a cancer patient's life. I recommend the "Gifts of Hope" package which starts at $25 and provides flowers anonymously to cancer patients. You will not receive anything physical from this donation but you will enrich the lives of a patient.

Thank you for reading and hope you're able to contribute in some way! Click here to go to my American Cancer Association fundraiser page.
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Things are looking up up up

2009-01-29T23:15:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I received a phone call from the Board President of my gallery association-- they are inviting me to run for a Board position! This is so exciting-- hooray! I also asked to be put on the slate for Secretary cause I just love typing so much! I take the minutes of our meetings at work and rather enjoy it so I thought I could lend that skill to the team.

Anyway-- They vote in April at the annual meeting so I'll find out for sure then. Cool!

And so I don't leave you pictureless-- for all of your letter writing needs :)
Set of 4 original gouache notecards

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Don't forget to enter my giveaway!!

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GIVEAWAY~ Enter to win a free "Hot Mess" tutorial

2009-01-28T16:52:00.010-05:00

Enter for your chance to win a free tutorial: "Hot Mess Painting with Wax, an introduction to encaustic painting -PDF Tutorial"

To learn more about the tutorial, click here.

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How to enter for your chance to win!...

+ post here with your favorite item from my Etsy Shop: JamieRibisi.etsy.com

If you would like an additional chance to win…

+ blog about the giveaway, come back, and post a second entry with a link to the post

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Entries will be accepted until Thursday February 5th, 2009 at 5:00pm.
I will use a randomizer to pick my winner an announce them on my blog! Please be sure that you leave a way to contact you! (I will only use the info to contact the winner)

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***Update: Giveaway has ended- comments are now closed.***

Looking Closer: Talking Pictures #1

2009-01-27T23:14:00.005-05:00

Talking Pictures #1
Oil on Canvas
6 x 6"
June 2008

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Looking closer- a brief exploration of art:

When I paint, I love to keep small canvases or boards handy so that I can work out ideas on them. This painting actually came about while I was working on a larger oil painting. I didn't want to throw away the old crusty and almost dried paint on my palette. There's just something inside me that makes it seem so wasteful and such a dent on my wallet to get rid of that paint. So I decided to use that extra paint on a few small canvases and not have a subject in mind. Just let the paint tell me what to do.

I loved the freedom that this allowed me and I used my palette knife, razor, fingers (gloved), and brushes to go wild. I love the texture that evolved and the richness of the layered colors. I've found that this has really helped me when I work in encaustic and that I'm applying the paint in a similar manner as with this oil painting.

still working

2009-01-26T23:06:00.003-05:00

Still working on my oil paint making tutorial. I'm having fun typing this up and am looking forward to releasing it! Head is a bit spinny today, much like this paint, so I don't have much to report on-- Off to bed to feel better for tomorrow.

Influences- Civil War photographs

2009-01-25T21:33:00.008-05:00

My encaustic series, Ghosts of the Past, came about from my love of Civil War photographs. These images are so haunting and alive with emotion-- I'm entirely drawn to them and to the people in them. Having a brother-in-law in the military, I have begun to wonder about the lives of these Civil War soldiers. What were their lives like before they went to war? Who did they leave behind? Did they return to their families or did they die on the battlefield? Who were they and what were they thinking when these photographs were taken?

Looking into their eyes and judging their posture, I begin to imagine all the answers to these questions. Some are tired and worn out from a long struggle. Some are proud to be there and are filled with energy. Some men seem angry, others are pensive. These men are thinking of their wives, their children, and the lives that they may never return to. They are thinking of their brothers and friends that they are fighting alongside as well as against. As I paint, I think about their mortality. I ponder these questions and try to express their emotions as I perceive them to be.

I'll never truly know the answers to these questions but I do know that, through the years and through the countless wars throughout the world, soldiers are always going through the same emotions that these men were facing. They are always living and fighting through unimaginable circumstances. Always guarded, perhaps we'll never know what they are truly feeling inside. Hopefully, a photographer is able to document their struggle as well and with as much humanity as the photographers of the Civil War so that we will never forget their anguish. So that we may begin to know these ghosts of the past.

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Photo Credit: Gen. George Thomas and a group of officers at a council of war near Ringgold, Ga., May 5, 1864. 77-HMS-344-2P. National Archives, Civil War images.
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Making Oil Paint by hand!

2009-01-24T21:21:00.003-05:00

March 10th 7-9pm- Oil Paint Making demo at the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell, taught by your very own Jamie Ribisi (That's me!)!

Ever wonder what goes into making a tube of oil paint? Come and participate in a hands-on demonstration where you will learn how to make your own oil paint from scratch! Discuss the different properties of various oils and what would work best for you as an artist. Making your own paint can save hundreds of dollars a year on supplies and is a technique that is easier than you think!

Come watch, learn, ask questions, and leave with all the knowledge you need to start making your own paint!

This event is free and part of the Art Talk series held at the Harlow Gallery, 160 Water St, Hallowell. Sponsored by the Savings Bank of Maine.

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Today I made a tube of oil paint in preparation for this demo that I'm going to be giving! I've been making some of my own oil paint for some time now, it's such a great treat to use paint that you've made by hand! I'm going to be making a PDF tutorial on this, as well, which will include lots of resources of where to buy the supplies and how to save money. I'll post it here once it's ready-- of course!....

Newly listed- Fall Into Formation

2009-01-23T23:05:00.002-05:00

I just listed an older painting in my Etsy shop. It had been on short term loan to a law office and now it's back home, looking for its next life! Show it some love!

Also listed "Phosphorescent" which was also on loan and now looking for it's next home.

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Fall Into Formation
Oil on Linen
30 x 30" (76.2 cm x 76.2 cm)
July 2005

New Painting- Ghosts of the Past #5

2009-01-22T23:07:00.003-05:00

Ghosts of the Past #5
Encaustic, Photographs, & Graphite on Cradled Birch
12" x 12" (30.48 cm x 30.48 cm)
January 2009

Not currently for sale, please inquire if interested. (Photo credit: Gen. George Thomas and a group of officers at a council of war near Ringgold, Ga., May 5, 1864. 77-HMS-344-2P.)
(click inage to zoom, click title for details)

Finished this painting tonight! I think this battle is over.
So, as you can see in my previous post, I had glued down two images. One was of these officers and the other was an image of clouds. I wanted to cast a heavy storm above their heads and give these men an outward glow. The General is given an iconic treatment.

I don't normally like to talk too much about the symbolism and ideas behind my paintings, I like to just put them out there and see what people get from them. I'm happy to discuss when prompted, though!

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The battle

2009-01-21T23:06:00.004-05:00

This painting has decided to declair war against me! I can see the General plotting it out now. He thinks he's so smart and he had me in a corner for a long time. But I finally pushed forward and I think I may have bested him. Only time will tell. I hope to meet him on the battlefield tomorrow. There's much to do but I will stare him and his cronies square in the eye and charge towards him, Braveheart style!

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New prints available- Trees #1 & Share

2009-01-20T22:28:00.002-05:00

Trees #1
5" x 5" image size, 7" x 7" paper size
Giclee Print

I have about half a billion prints that I've ordered and still have to list. OK-- that's a slight exageration, but you get my point. I had gotten so many pre-made for some art shows and have a good deal left in stock.

Today was a day of renewing energy and I decided to list a couple! These are more of the small 5x5" ones, I also have some larger sizes but I think I need better pictures of them.

I love the way that these giclee prints come out! Sometimes the texture looks so real that it could pass for a painting...almost! If you're looking for a place to get yours printed, check out Iprintfromhome.com I swear by them!

5" x 5" image size, 7" x 7" paper size
Giclee Print

Artists I Admire: Lauren Simone

2009-01-19T21:35:00.007-05:00

Farm Utopia
9" x 9"
Watercolor, india ink pen, drawing ink, and thread on handmade rag watercolor paper
by Lauren Simone

I absolutely adore the detail and the color that Lauren puts into each of her drawings (click on the image to zoom in). They are wonderful imaginary landscapes which make you feel as though you are stuck inside of a great adventure novel. Perhaps my favorite part of her drawings are the details. I love the threading that she does around the land masses and the fact that she goes back to them and paints them in varying colors. It gives such a great depth to the piece.

Lauren has been my Etsy bud for a while now and we are both fortunate enough to live in Maine and be on the Etsy Maine Team! Visit her shop-- she currently has a Valentine's Day Sale running! Tell her Jamie sent you!

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New Painting- Ghosts of the Past #4

2009-01-18T21:26:00.004-05:00

I love when an idea works out better than expected! I had this image which I pasted down yesterday (see last night's post) and had an idea of what I wanted to do with the officer's bodies but not sure about exactly how to incorporate the background. The trees are what initially drew me to the image and I knew that I wanted to keep them in. I wound up painting around them and then chasing after the lines with scraping/carving and drawing them in with charcoal.

This painting, along with 1 or 2 more, will be submitted to a gallery show called "White, Black, & Shades of Gray." I'm glad that I decided to do this and challenge myself by taking the "color" out. Of course, I still mixed actual colors into the painting to give it depth. Can't wait to get paint on the next board! Hope this makes it into the show. Wish me luck!

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Ghosts of the Past #4
Encaustic, Photograph, & Charcoal on Cradled Birch
12" x 12" (30.48 cm x 30.48 cm)
January 2009

Not currently for sale, please inquire if interested.
(click inage to zoom)
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Work in Progress

2009-01-17T21:20:00.002-05:00

Today I started working on 2 new paintings. In a previous post I stated that I usually have a few pieces going on at the same time and that's no lie! Currently. I have 3 encaustic paintings and 1 oil painting in progress. The oil hasn't been touched in a while but it's still there staring at me jealously. The encaustics include 1 that is waiting for the final step; still unsure how to proceed and finish my thoughts on him.

The other two are these 12 x 12 pieces. I was printing out these images for a much larger painting and had the weirdest error with the ink. The black decided not to work so these B&W photos wound up being printed with color ink only. The result was sort of solarized and I thought that I could explore this further and see what I could make of it. After all, I hate wasting paper! I found the it opened me up to the way that I 'm using the photographs. I'm picking and choosing the pieces that I want much more carefully and I'm excited to get some paint on these soon!

Andrew Wyeth 07/12/17 - 01/16/09

2009-01-16T21:55:00.005-05:00

"Artists today think of everything they do as a work of art. It is important to forget about what you are doing - then a work of art may happen."

"When people want to bring sex into these images, OK, let them," ... "The heart of the Helga series is that I was trying to unlock my emotions in capturing her essence, in getting her humanity down" - Andrew Wyeth

Hot Mess: Painting with Wax, an intro to encaustic painting tutorial

2009-01-15T22:20:00.007-05:00

JUST RELEASED!
Hot Mess: Painting with Wax, an introduction to encaustic painting PDF Tutorial

-Want to learn encaustic painting but don't know a darned thing about it?
-Maybe you're wanting to learn more before diving in and buying supplies?
-Or perhaps you just love learning?

Then this is the tutorial for you! Learn everything you need to know about painting with beeswax! From set-up to clean-up. It couldn't be easier.

This 6 page tutorial is written in a joyful voice that is very easy to understand with clear photographs showing you every step of the process. Includes a handy supply list with detailed information and tips on where to find the items inexpensively! This intro will walk you through buying supplies, setting up, basic encaustic painting, fusing, embedding objects, clean up, caring for your paintings, and a list of supply resources.

**What's encaustic painting?** Encaustic painting is the use of beeswax and damar resin melted together and combined with dry pigments to create a painting medium. This paint is applied hot (not a cold paste) and manipulated with a direct heat source. This makes for a lovely layered image into which objects and photographs can be added. If you've seen a Jasper Johns painting then you've seen an encaustic painting!

I am always available & happy to answer any questions that you have about painting!

Find this and forthcoming tutorials in my Etsy Shop: JamieRibisi.etsy.com

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Influences- Nathan Oliveira

2009-01-14T23:25:00.003-05:00

As I work, I'm always thinking about other artists and their work that sticks in my head. When I get stuck and can't think I usually will turn to an art book. I have a nice collection of monographs and my favorite one is of Nathan Oliveira. He's one of my favorite painters and someone that I look to often. When I was doing figurative work, it was his movements and compositions that really turned me on. As I studied his paintings and got to see some in person, I began to look at the broader picture. I was really attracted to the paint itself and the layering of colors. The simplicity and intricacy of his color palette really astounds me and heavily influences my work.

Another thing I admire about Oliveira is how his work has changed over the years. I love that he isn't afraid to completely change the look and subject matter of his paintings and prints. That is something that everyone should strive for, I know I do.

"Given all the technology that we're in the middle of, I would be so pleased if someone would look at one of these prints and say, 'You know, I feel like that.' What I'm concerned about now is creating a metaphor for what the figure really is."

-Nathan Oliveira

Very interesting link to a tour of his studio-- always amazing to see how an artist works!

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The Amount of Tea I Drink in a Week

2009-01-13T23:52:00.006-05:00

Ok, I have a problem. I *love* tea. That may not sound like a problem but I *REALLY* love tea and when I made this group of paintings I actually sat down and figured out how much tea I drink in a week, on average. I drink about 17 cups of hot & iced tea a week. I'm ok with that, especially if there are cookies involved.

These are the 3 paintings that I was working on Sunday. They have actual tea leaves embedded in it-- vanilla spice chai to be exact (my favorite!). Each have the a tally of 17 hatched into it to reveal the underpainting color. The overall color is how I like to drink my tea-- milky! This was really a great mix since the painting smells like chai tea with honey-- perfect! I really do love the smell of encaustic so adding tea to it is like a dream come true.

I'm hoping to make a bunch more with different colors but for now, these are available via jamieribisi.com or jamieribisi.etsy.com

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The Amount of Tea I drink in a Week, orange, red, & green versions
Encaustic & Vanilla Spice Chai Tea on wood
6" x 6" (15.24 cm x 15.24 cm) each
January 2009

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Cutting up

2009-01-12T22:24:00.002-05:00

Today was a cutting day! I needed to make some supports for the back of the panels that I painted yesterday so I found some wood scraps from our recent flooring project in the studio (read about it here). Took them to the mitre saw and had some fun! Well, to be honest-- that darned thing scares me! I used to love going into the woodshop and using power tools but these days I don't feel coordinated enough to feel safe with myself. And yesterday my friends were all talking about injuries that they recently sustained and I don't want a story to add!

Luckily, everything turned out perfect and I've glued my supports on and will hopefully get to photograph these new paintings tomorrow and list them on my website and shop!

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A productive day!

2009-01-11T21:06:00.004-05:00

I had a very productive day today! I made three new paintings! These have tea leaves embedded into them and hatch marks actually hatched in-- more on that soon! I painted these on thin plywood so I just need to build a support for the back and add hardware. I know I should do that first but when the idea moves me, I just have to get to painting!

I've been saving up these tea leaves and had a rough idea of how I wanted to use them but not what I wanted the story to be. It came to me this morning when I was thinking of another painting that I'm working on (I always have a few going to keep my mind occupied). This other painting is part of the "Ghosts of the Past" Civil War series and I wanted to do hatch marks representing the number of people who died in the battle pictured. I looked it up.... 28,900! I don't think I can make that many hatches. So I moved the idea to these tea paintings-- the amount of tea I drink in a week. The number was also a sad one but easier to deal with!

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Art shows, calls for art, etc

2009-01-10T18:23:00.004-05:00

Do you submit your work to art shows? I've been thinking about getting back into it. I used to submit my work upon occassion ...if I found a show that I really thought suited me. Have you had any reasonable success with this? I've done great for local shows but not for those big national and international calls that you see all over the place.

They have so much promise but sometimes I feel like it's just a big ploy to make someone some money really easily. I mean, $35 to $50 to submit 3 pieces of work (or less)? Nevertheless, I'm thinking of getting back to submitting my work but only for the shows that I feel have merit to them. And I want to build up my portfolio a little bit more. Most of the time, I feel like I should be making a specific piece for each show but it would be nice to have a stock to pick items from.

Do you submit your work? What resources do you use to find calls for art? I know about http://www.artdeadlineslist.com/ and http://artdeadlines.com/ and several others-- what do you use?

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Image:
Red Flower in Antique Glass Jar
Digital TTV Photograph

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Painting with wax- whatcha want to know?

2009-01-09T21:37:00.003-05:00

I've been working hard on writing a tutorial about painting with wax. I have the introductory 'course' written already and some other subjects like using images, embedding objects, etc. What would you want to learn about? If you're experienced already or just wondering about encaustic painting...what would you want to know?

Are there specific skills that you'd like to learn? Any questions that have been wracking your brain? Let me know!

Post here or email me at jamieribisi{at}gmail.com

I'd love to know so that I can be as thorough as possible! I have a focus group reading my draft right now and am loving their comments!

Color me happy

2009-01-08T20:18:00.006-05:00

I made some more encaustic paint samples last night and am loving the enhanced colors. I wanted to add some more vibrance to them and am so happy with the results! I have some more color lines I'm thinking of making-- how can I find more hours in the day? I think I've exhausted all the workable hours I can find. But it feels good to keep busy so on I go! If I could only figure out how to hand make time. Hmmmm.

But back to the paint... I've had so many people write to me that they are looking to try encaustics and that makes me SO happy! I assure each and every one of them that they are quickly going to become addicted. It's very true-- ask any encaustic painter you know! Making these paint cakes is really a great time consumer of mine because, as I posted about the other day, I love to mix colors. Would it be weird to confess that I want to kiss that blue color? Maybe it would. If so, pretend I didn't write that!

After the art has left the nest...

2009-01-07T19:32:00.006-05:00

Today I received the most wonderful email from Samatha in Toronto. She had purchased a watercolor painting of mine some time ago and was holding onto it until she could figure out the right home for it. As she wrote to me,

"I finally have your piece framed and hung. I took me forever. Last spring I carried it around in my diaper bag for 3 months and went to 3 different frame shops. Then I was looking through a closet and found an old vintage frame and print and I had long ago stored away. It's perfect! The frame has a great old-fashioned feel to it that compliments the classic style of the nude. It's a deep brown wood with very sublte gold leafing. I have it hung in my dining room, where it looks great and has received many compliments. I bought your painting as a gift to myself shortly after the birth of my son."

I love to hear stories of where my art goes to live after it leaves my studio and it's very refreshing to learn that this piece has ended up in such a nice loving home where it will be cared for and enjoyed! Thank you so much, Samantha, and thank you for letting me share your story! Best wishes to your family!!

Artists I Admire- Adam Junior

2009-01-06T23:30:00.005-05:00

Studio
3.5' x 2.5' x 3'
Resin, clay bricks, tin
by Adam Junior

I've been friends with Adam for many years. We became friends when we were both teaching art classes at The Huntington School of Fine Arts in NY. He was (and still is) the sculpture guru- and with good reason! His imagination is really something to admire and his enthusiasm for sculpting is contagious. It was always a treat to eavesdrop while he was one-on-one with a student and hacking away at their clay sculptures.

The best part was watching how he applied what he was preaching to his own work. Anyone that teaches knows that your advice to your students weighs heavily on your own work. One sentiment from him that I remember was to keep chasing the vision and to never let the sculpture win-- the artist is always in control.

I have the distinct honor of being Adam's webmaster which means that I have the first chance of seeing his sculptures before he releases them into the world. This newest piece pictured above, 'Studio', really grabbed me and I keep coming back to it, zooming in, and imagine being inside this tower as it's flailing around. I feel this turbulence in my own studio and in my head but I have to remind myself that it's on a solid foundation-- no matter how crazy it looks, it's solid and will hold me up. I'm not sure if that's what Adam intended with this piece but that's the nice thing about art; you bring your own emotions and baggage to the trip. And our ideas are golden as long as we enjoy the ride.

Mixing colors

2009-01-05T21:26:00.004-05:00

This morning my friend asked me to make her a custom color of encaustic paint- Robin's Egg Blue! I love mixing custom colors and couldn't wait to come home and give it a whirl. I used my white encaustic medium and mixed in some ultramarine blue, titanium white, a custom yellow mix and natural encaustic medium for that slight hint of green. I'm not sure if there's anything I love more about painting than mixing my own colors!

I honestly spent my entire senior year of college enthralled with my palette. I barely produced any paintings of note but I had a love affair with color and am happy that I did so! Now I look at an object, evaluate it, and daydream about blending the right colors to compliment what nature has created. Hopefully I'm doing some justice to Mama Nature along the way!

Thanks, Pam, for making my day!

Thoughts on colors and why we are drawn to them

2009-01-04T20:40:00.005-05:00

Today I had the extreme pleasure of visiting a yurt! We've been dying to get one (or twenty) for our backyard -- yurts in the hayfield! There is a clear dome window at the top which lets in the most beautiful natural light! It would really make such a perfect studio setting; fantastic even lighting and plenty of room to spread out all my art supplies! Oh that would simply be heaven!

Inside this yurt that I visited was a beautiful yarn shop with wonderful hand dyed yarn. The color range was endless and the combinations exquisite! (Read more about the visit here) This got me thinking... what colors are you naturally drawn to?

My sister and I kept picking up skeins and shouting "Isn't this perfect?!" and then our reply would be "Oh, those are your colors, they really suit you." Mine are coppers, olive greens, and cranberries-- and yes, I do surround myself with these colors in my art and in my life. I am really drawn to muted jewel tones, they give me a feeling of calm and sensitivity while still being vibrant. I think this describes my personality to a T. I don't look for these things, I'm just naturally drawn to them.

What are your colors and why are you drawn to them?

My husband is obsessed with yurts- that's his drawing at the top of this post:

Three Yurts, by Brian Braley
17" x 11"
India ink on watercolor paper
Available in my Etsy Shop

Looking closer- Ghosts of the Past 2, Encaustic Painting

2009-01-03T18:24:00.015-05:00

Ghosts of the Past 2
Encaustic, embedded Photograph, & Grass on found wood
9.5" x 9"
September 2008

Available in my Etsy Shop or through JamieRibisi.com

Looking closer- a brief exploration of art:

This painting incorporates the technique of embedding objects in the wax. The grass and the photograph are both embedded and it's a pretty simple task!

First, I fused one layer of encaustic onto my substrate and fused it. Then I brushed encaustic medium onto the back of the image and a little bit on the area that it was heading to live and smooshed them together real fast. Using a flat tool, I got all of the air bubbles out and then layered another bit of medium on top of the image. Fuse and repeat the layers of medium until satisfied with the result.

The grass is done in a similar manner but takes a bit of adjusting the blades because they are so small and fragile. Embedding natural objects into wax is really fun because the material will change as it adjusts to the heat and to the wax. They tend to brown and dry out slightly as they sit in the pool of molten wax. Just like nature-- you never know what's going to happen and that's the best part of encaustic painting-- in my world, anyway!

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If you liked my little behind the scenes venture into painting, keep following my blog for the "Looking closer" series and learn what I do, how I do it, and why!

For the encaustic dreamers, I will also be creating a tutorial that will give you detailed in-depth tips, tricks, & techniques with lots of technical info so that you will feel safe and armed with the knowledge to feel comfortable creating your own beeswax art! I'll post it here once it's ready for sale (& some freebie opportunities, too!)

Roots #1 - new encaustic painting

2009-01-02T19:29:00.009-05:00

Roots #1
Encaustic, Image Transfer, & Oil Pastel on Cradled Panel
8" x 8" (20.32 cm x 20.32 cm)
January 2009

Now available in my Etsy Shop or through JamieRibisi.com

The idea for "Roots #1" came from a painting trade that I did with the Etsy Beeswax Team. Our theme

was 'sharing' and I had just started using tree imagery in my work. I loved the thought of a set of trees sharing roots together; living off the nutrients that they were sharing with each other. Much like being a member of a team! http://beeswaxteam.com/holiday-gift-exchange-2/

The image of the tree is a transfer of one of my photographs onto the encaustic. These are trees from my backyard that I stare at from my studio window. The roots are carved into the wax with a tool, revealing the color of the board and wax underneath. I love drawing into the wax this way-- just like painting with wax, you never know what's going to happen!

I've also just started painting on Masters Baroque panels and they are so silky smooth to paint on-- I'm so loving these and Brian is loving them, too, because that means he doesn't have to help me build my own! They are affordable, great quality, and come in many square sizes! I love being a square :)

Hello!

2009-01-01T18:09:00.008-05:00

Welcome to my new blog!

My plan for 2009 is to bring you some great art tutorials, tips & tricks, share my work in progress, finished pieces, and favorite artists & crafters!

The project I'm currently working on is a tutorial on painting with encaustic. You can see some teaser pics here and also a sneak peek at my newest painting- a 2 for 1 peek!

Looking forward to sharing my love of art with all my friends, readers, & fellow artists!