New Address

Please note that this blogspot has changed addresses. The TexasWAX/Houston blog is continuing but with a different address that is more straight forward। Please make the changes in your files.

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Note that our (TexasWAX/Houston) next meeting is scheduled for May 4 at 2:00.
Artists working in wax and want to participate in this group, contact Gwen at gplunkett@rocketspeed.net.

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FYI Houston artists interested in wax supplies, Art Supply (2711 Main St. at Dennis ..near McGowan) has a small supply of RF brand Encaustic starter sets and blocks of medium if you don't want to wait for mail order shipments. The owner of the store is very knowledgeable regarding any technical advice you might have regarding mixing media-what is safe and archival to mix together and what is safe to heat.

For more information Encaustic working tools and equipment, setting up your studio to accomodate this medium, safety issues and so forth, the best source I know is Joanne Mattera's book The Art of Encaustic Painting. I have seen it in book stores around town but you can mail order it as well. For those of us who work with wax, this book has become our bible.

Art Supply also carries a good supply of substrates...popular brands plus some of their own making if you are not handy with saws and such. These are the ones I would prefer because you can probably specialize your order regarding image size and depth of cradle. They have nice smooth sides and seams and very neatly joined corners unlike my recent hand made ones.
There are also studios for lease through Art Supply (Artist Studio Complex) at that downtown location but most are already taken. Some are live-in studios. They probably have a waiting list.

Smartist (Susan Myers) Shows Her Stuff

Artist Susan Myers is a friend of mine. She lives in Pensacola, my home town. That is in Florida for those of you who don't know.
One weekend in the summer of 2006 she and Wendy Cresswell, another artist buddy of mine, drove over to Houston to my house per invitation for a mini two day Encaustic workshop. Susan and Wendy have a long history of work in various and combined media. Susan, for instance, besides painting and drawing and mixed media, works or has worked in metals, ceramics, printmaking and probably other media that I don't even know about. For two very full days, the three of us fused, melted, transferred, etched, scored, collaged to our hearts desire. Evenings, we went out to dinner, visited gallery openings and just had fun.
I should mention that Susan bought and brought with her all her equipment and materials. The instruction was free...just for friends. At the end of the two days, Susan and Wendy packed up and went back to Florida ready to set up in their own studios and get to work. Since then, Susan did just that in her small studio, an area just for Encaustic painting.

A glimpse of Susan in her Pensacola Studio.


Initially, in Houston, she worked on a series with landscape elements and continued those when she was home. You will see these when you check out her web site.

Her experience with other media filters in to her Encaustic works, of course, as it does with all artists. Another thing about Susan-she is a collector of things that often find their way into her art. A few months ago she sent me a message with all the excitement of a kid on Christmas morning. Her excitement was over finding these wonderful little porcelain ceramic doll parts on Ebay and how she had secured the bid. You can see how she put them to good use! Below are just a few of her newest pieces that also reveal her working relationship with the other media mentioned above.


I enjoy these new pieces by Susan and I appreciate the fact that she is working here with wax. What interests me more is what these images reveal.
Susan took charge of the medium and worked it to her advantage, getting it to speak her language, and talk her talk........ "these images are reflections that blend the “real” experience with the memory of that experience." Her own personal experiences feed her content. She speaks of dysfunction and of survival. For her "object is memory." The object, in her hands, becomes a talisman of sorts that transports one to a past moment, another time. One forgets the medium and departs on one's "own personal journey." (Quotations identify remarks made by Susan.)

New Wax Group in Austin

Congrats are in order to Austin artist Sharon Kyle Kuhn, founder of the newly forming TexasWAX/Austin group. Their first meeting scheduled for May 17th.
Austin artists interested in beeswax as a painting or printing medium, check the blog for schedules.

Sharon's work can be seen an exhibition Saturday, April 19th at Bay6 Gallery and Studios. Her art will be exhibited along with Caroline Wright and Darvin Jones.
Live music by "mediums" will begin at 8:00 p.m. Congratulations to all three artists.
Check out Sharon's web pages too. Good stuff.

TexasWAX/Dallas-Houston Exhibition at CAMP in Dallas

Here are some images from the TexasWAX/Dallas-Houston exhibition in Dallas at CAMP.


L. Cheryl McClure-Dallas; C. Kate Miller -Key West; R. Carolyn Fox Hearn-Dallas
Artist Diane Dorn-Dallas
Artist Vidya Kagal-Dallas

Whispers by Deanna Wood - Dallas
L. Work by Franziska Bader; R. Untitled by Linda Walker - Houston
Transformation by Suzanne Shield-Polk-Houston

L. Work by Charlotte Corbett -Dallas, R. Untitled by Billie Forney-Houston
Counting Time from Ritual Series by Gwendolyn Plunkett-Houston
Itch by Robin Ann Walker - Dallas
L. Franziska Bader and guest Kathryn Bevier (from Enkaustikos Wax Art Supplies)
Salute to Whistler by Cheryl McClure - Dallas

Spanish Saint by Charlotte Corbett - Dallas
L: Menepause II by Cynthia Robertson - Houston R: Untitled by Robert McGehee - Houston
L. Smash and Demolish by Trayc Claybrook- Dallas; Middle and Right: Works by Cheryl McClure - Dallas


Gallery shot with Kate Miller & Joanne Mattera, among others.
Sylvia Thornton with her work
Zen Garden Series: Franziska Bader
Trayc Claybrook: Smash and Demolish
Janet Reynolds with one of her paintings.
Gwendolyn Plunkett and Deanna Wood

TexasWAX/Houston April Meeting Scheduled

Gwen Plunkett is hosting this month's TexasWAX/Houston meeting Sunday, April 6 at 2:00. An Encaustic Monotype demo and hands-on mini-workshop is one of the activities on this month's agenda.
If you are interested in becoming a member of this group, contact Gwen at this blogspot.