Branching Out into Encaustic

In preparation for my upcoming exhibition 'Branching Out', today I worked on small wooden disks to be part of a collaborative display.

I decided to work with monoprinting and encaustic.  I'm able to combine my love of printmaking with the 3-dimensional soft layering effects of wax medium - yummy!

Look out for the disks at the 'Branching Out' exhibition (more information coming soon or go to my website).

the wooden disks ready to work with

The encaustic heating in my skillet - clear pure encaustic wax
on the left, the small pot is a blend of white oil paint and
encaustic wax

Fusing the first layer of white encaustic, using
a heat gun.

Monoprints that I created using my gelli-plate and a stencil.
I printed onto dressmaking pattern paper - its so fine, like tissue.
I just love the texture and its transparency.

One of the finished disks, with a monoprint
and paper cutouts collaged into the wax.
My bird theme just keeps going!

Another disk - I love the red on the black & white.
The text from the paper pattern adds another dimension.

Recent Monoprints

In April I started a series of monotypes based on the willy-wag tail, a lively little bird who frequents my garden.

The Willy Wag Tail

The Willy Wag Tail has always been a favourite of mine.  The name 'Willy Wag Tail' comes from the bird's habit of wagging its tail horizontally when foraging for insects on the ground.  They're a very active bird, as well as being aggressive and territorial towards other larger birds, which is most amusing to watch!

Its a bird that fits perfectly into my previous series 'Conservation of the Species' which featured bird species that have adapted to human urbanisation of the landscape.

In this series of prints titled 'Wagging the Tail', I've used repetition of imagery to make the Willy Wag Tail come alive.  I've also been working in my latest favourite colours - raw sienna, chocolate brown and blue.  They were heaps of fun to print!

They'll feature in my upcoming exhibition 'Branching Out' in late August (keep an eye on my website exhibitions page for more information).

My monoprints.."Wagging the Tail"