encaustic paintings

Come out for my solo show of encaustic paintings!

My Perspective on Windows and Doors. A Solo Exhibition of Paintings by Marion Meyers

Colborne Art Gallery, Ontario

June 9, 2018 through July 22, 2018

Opening Reception: Saturday June 9, 2018, 2 to 4 pm

Bodega Kitchen encaustic on birch panel 12″ x 36″
Musee d’Orsay Window on the Seine encaustic on birch panel 12” x 36”

Windows and doors: they seem to tell me, “You’re welcome here.”, or “No one cares.” Would I like to open that door? Bang on that knocker? Reflect on what goes on behind that window? I imagine being on the other side, looking out that window or just admiring how the light streams in. I find odd angles intriguing and often work the architectural patterns of windows and doors into abstract work.

For years I had a recurring dream of a giant old warehouse building filled inside with what appeared to be a giant “Mousetrap” game. And I rode around in a small cart, like I was on a single-person roller coaster, going in and out of doors in walls and windows in the frame of the warehouse, bumping into things and setting off chain reactions of cogs and wheels turning. It was a gritty, grimy place of clanging metal and old wood. Years later we played a video game called Riven, where finding the right door or knob to turn would open a passageway, leading you to the next window or hole in the wall to climb through. It was dark inside with light streaming in where you might find a way out or back into the game again. Just like in my dream.

There are always strong lines in images of windows and doors and often repeating patterns, gorgeous colours and texture. These images come out in the texture and piecing of quilted wall hangings. The images swirling in my head, either from photos I’ve taken or abstract impressions of places, are ideas I bring out in my encaustic paintings. Encaustic medium is an ancient process of melting beeswax and damar resin together with pigment to paint, hot and fluid, on birch panels. It dries immediately and each layer of encaustic paint must be fused with a blow torch, heat gun or hot iron to the layer beneath. Encaustic paint is a wonderful medium for scraping away, layering colour, adding texture and making glossy surfaces, all key elements of My Perspective on Windows and Doors.

The Colborne Art Gallery

51 King Street East, Colborne, Ontario

905-355-1798

Gallery Hours During Shows: Thursday to Sunday 12 to 4 pm

Learning New Techniques at R&F Paint in New York

I spent a great week at R&F Encaustics in Kingston, New York, back in the fall.

Some of my work in classes at R&F Paint in New York.
Some of my work in classes at R&F Paint in New York.
My table at R&F Encaustics in Kingston, New York.
My table at R&F Encaustics in Kingston, New York.
Look at this fabulous selection of encaustic oil sticks at R&F Encaustics in New York.
Look at this fabulous selection of encaustic oil sticks at R&F Encaustics in New York.
Experimenting with building up ridges in the wax to look like fluffy feathers on this hen.
Experimenting with building up ridges in the wax to look like fluffy feathers on this hen.

Lake Scugog Studio Tour, Site #2

I’ve been busy painting and quilting this winter in preparation for the Lake Scugog Studio Tour. I’ve done more paintings in my series of urban landscapes of St. John’s and have started to work on a series from photos I took in Sweden. I’ve also done more of the In The Birches series. My quilting is all over the place, from modern to abstract art to traditional. I hope to see you on the tour. You can start at my studio, 34 Woodbridge Circle, Port Perry, Ontario, and I’ll give you a map to take you to 12 other studios with a total of 32 artists. When you Google or set your GPS use the town name “Scugog” to find me easily.

Beach Glass Lap Quilt 100% cotton with wool batting Designed by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr Pieced and Quilted by Marion Meyers 2014 $500
Beach Glass
Lap Quilt
100% cotton with wool batting
Designed by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr
Pieced and Quilted by Marion Meyers
2014
$500 SOLD
An Early Snow in St. John's #3 Encaustic on birch panel 12" by 12" Marion Meyers 2014 $385
An Early Snow in St. John’s #3
Encaustic on birch panel
12″ by 12″
Marion Meyers
2014
$385
The Understory Encaustic, birch bark, leaves on birch panel 11" by 14" Marion Meyers 214 $265
The Understory
Encaustic, birch bark, leaves on birch panel
11″ by 14″
Marion Meyers
214
$265

Sharp Lines in Encaustic Paintings

I use quite a few different techniques when I paint in encaustics, and have found a unique way to create urban landscapes. I start with beautifully hand made birch panels. And photographs I’ve taken in my travels are my references for drawings. I draw in pencil directly on the birch panels. With these urban landscapes sharp clean lines and accurate perspectives are important and I would lose them if I didn’t have a drawing down first. I then paint on the beeswax and damar resin mixture in thin layers with no added pigment. Typically it’s 6 or 8 layers. I like to work on three pieces at a time so that I’m not waiting around for layers to solidify, ready for the next layer to be added. I use painter’s tape to mask off areas of my underdrawing and then layer on the colour! Usually 12 layers. The wax needs to be not quite set for me to pull up the painter’s tape to reveal the sharp clean edge. Once this is allowed to harden another colour will go beside it. By laying on many layers I get a thickness that can later be carved away to reveal nice sharp lines.

Up This Way #2 Encaustic on Birch Panel 8" by 8" Marion Meyers 2013 $300
Up This Way #2
Encaustic on Birch Panel
8″ by 8″
Marion Meyers
2013
$300