more wax medium

Two weeks ago I was fortunate to spend a couple of days working with Christie Scheele (at the Woodstock School of Art.) I had wanted to learn about the wax medium possibilities. Christie is a master with the medium. For a treat, check out her website. The good news is that I will interview her in late August.
Most of Christie's work is done on a very dark  or black gessoed canvas which sets the stage for a very beautiful, moody feel. I tried the black gesso, but now I have reverted back to a lighter underpainting.  I must say I love this new medium. First, it replaces the toxic Liquin I have been using for a long time and second the wax helps me work up a painting faster.
This painting is one I painted while working with Christie and just finished yesterday. Lately I have had a fascination with rivers, especially from an aerial perspective.

more wax, nova scotia hail storm

oil on wood, 20x16

Working from memory, on a wood panel that had a failed painting, I had nothing to lose. I used the Soho wax medium on a painting that had Liquin as its medium. My memory of the thunder/hail storm we had in NS was firmly in my mind.

List of ingredients:
Soho- bleached beeswax, damar, linseed oil- softest of all
Dorlands- mineral spirits, paraffin wax, damar resin, micro crystaline wax, bees wax and ozokerite wax- whitest of all
Gamblin - unbleached beeswax, alkyd resin, OMS

The one thing I can tell you at this point- use as little as you can to move the paint- 10% medium to 90% paint. From my reading you will make the surface unstable if you add too much wax....more likely to crack.  I am playing with types of surface (textured vs smooth) and advantages of using it alone vs on top of other mediums(liquin) More later as I discover.

washington and wax medium

16x20 oil on wood

Just returned from beautiful Nova Scotia and I am excited to be back in the studio. The time is short since by Saturday I will be in Washington State for my usual time with Richard. Then I will finally be back to the studio for a nice long work period. It's funny  I LOVE to travel and get new inspirations, see friends, etc, but I am always eager to return to normalcy and my studio.
This is a painting inspired from last year's trip to the San Juan Islands. I am working with the wax medium and having a lot of fun discovering its possibilities. I am enjoying the buttery smooshy feel of the medium. It is very different from the stickiness of Liquin or Galkyd. Like Liquin it dries in a day, especially when it is out in the sun. I think I use too much of it and need to temper my use a wee bit. a little goes a long way. So far I have sampled 3 different kinds: Dorlands, Gamblin and Soho. Later, after I have a better feel I will write more about the differences.
I have received a few emails and comments about sketchbook posts and am looking forward to all the peeks we will be getting. Just let me know if you are interested in participating. Check out my last post about it here.
While you are checking out things, by best friend in the universe has begun a blog called "Eye on the Cove." For a year she will be documenting the daily changes of the cove near her home in Nova Scotia. I can't wait to see the changes. Here is the link.

wax medium and the Hudson

So much is happening! I am traveling and right now I am in Woodstock NY working with Christie Scheele. This is the Hudson River. Majestic. Winding. Beautiful. Will write more later. Internet is hard to find and I am busy working!
PS I think I am falling in love with wax medium!