Leo, 12×12 encaustic collage
I was raised on a farm in western Kansas. The smell of the dusty earth and ripened wheat was a cyclical part of my life, marking seasons and years. Although I have been a city girl since my adulthood, the impact of farm life will forever leave its beautiful mark on my days.
The making of Leo, so named after my father and grandfather, farmers of the earth:
The encaustic station in my studio is hot this day. It’s 105° F outside my wide-open window.
After priming the 12×12 Encausticbord by Ampersand, the 1904 Grain Ledger was dipped in encaustic medium, as was the John Deere combine (even though my guys drove Massey Ferguson). After fusing, more encaustic medium was layered and the sky begun.
Thanks to Judy Wise, I felt confident in mixing my own colors and then layering them to produce the real look of wheat. I used four different color variations to come up with the red winter wheat blend. After the layers were laid, the incising began to produce the distinct heads of wheat.
A good rub down with an R&F Pigment Stick in raw umber added depth to the wheat.
Ooo, I feel a series coming on.
BEAUTIFUL!!!
I think you captured the wheat texture so well.
Love this! Being from a farming family myself, I think a series would be amazing!
Gorgeous! I think you should definitely do that series! Very unique concept and well executed. Great job!
Amanda, This is gorgeous! My ancestors settled in farm country west of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. I have never lived there, but that is where Ron grew up. It feels like home.
We have wheat in our backyard this year…
That is awesome!! I love it.
I am so excited to see the texture on the wheat. It looks so real. It takes me back to the farm. I love driving to my dad’s throughout the year. Watching the fields in every season is so calming and rejuvenating at the same times. It makes me feel in touch with life to see the seasons change on a farm.
Thank you for sharing!
I love your painting of Kansas! My parents were born in Kansas, and I went to a family reunion in St. John, KS over Memorial Day weekend. I am fascinated by the state now, and so I especially love this painting. I look forward to seeing a series!
I just took my first encaustic class yesterday, and I am hooked. I am also bookmarking your blog, to check on that series!!
Oh Amanda, I love this piece and I love your set up and this peek into your studio. I can’t believe how much I learned from encausticamp either. I just put some wax on some journal pages and scratched trees on them. Then I smushed in burnt umber oil paints into the cracks and rubbed the excess off with vegetable oil. (What I learned from Judy Wise too!) I love them. But most of all i wanted to tell you how wonderful this painting is! Happy August. roxanne
Lovely! Really enjoyed the varied textures and interesting subject matter! Lisa
Seeing this brings back SO MANY memories. I can’t wait to see the developing series. Rev. Joel
LOVE LOVE LOVE This!!!!
This is so lovely.
Thank you all for the encouraging comments. I usually like to respond personally to each one, but have not been able to do that this past week. Each one of you have brought a smile to my life.
amanda
Amanda that is stunning. My family were cattle ranchers, grew wheat also. You captured the palette, the textures, the big ol’ farm machine so well. Inspires me to try encaustic, which I have never done. Great work.
Love this, amazing what you can do with wax, reminds me of my life growing up on a farm. Good stuff.
an awesome piece of work!!! YOU inspire ME!!!! 😉
This is a wonderfully beautiful work of art. Very inspiring for a newbie to encaustic like me. I’m taking Judy’s online class and this is how I found you.