Here are the new heart paintings as promised. They are 5″ x 7″ encaustic & collage paintings on Ampersand hardboard mounted on 9″ x 12″ chalkboard and framed. There are fifteen in this batch.
Oct-Lover-Fest
Category Archives: mixed media
The Robes (Part 2)
I just finished the second set of thirty-six (three dozen) robes! They are 12″ x 12″ hardboard mounted on cradled hardboard. I am so delighted with them. I feel like making more but I will, instead, clean up the art studio, put away all the unused ribbon and store the paintings in acetate sleeves until I find the perfect place to exhibit them all together.
Layered Processes
Today is the last day to see Layered Processes at Main Street Arts (20 West Main Street, Clifton Springs, New York 14432). Heather Olson and her team did an outstanding job curating this gem.
Over fifty artists are represented here with 2-D and 3-D work. The art is located in the main gallery and upstairs in the library.
Hours of Operation:
Tuesday: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Wednesday: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Thursday: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Friday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday : 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
***From the web-site
Artists Included:
Carol Acquilano
Evelyne Albanese
Sherry Allen
Christina Bang
Geoffrey Barber
Elizabeth Berry
Andrea Boccacino
Victoria Brace
Eva Capobianco
Judi Cermak
Bob Conge
Ally DeRusso
Denise Fabrizio
Linda Fisher
Faithanne Flesher
David Folts
Geena Fratto
Evelyne Albanese
Sherry Allen
Christina Bang
Geoffrey Barber
Elizabeth Berry
Andrea Boccacino
Victoria Brace
Eva Capobianco
Judi Cermak
Bob Conge
Ally DeRusso
Denise Fabrizio
Linda Fisher
Faithanne Flesher
David Folts
Geena Fratto
Robert Geroux
Geoffrey Gilbert
Hans Gindlesberger
Eric Granger
Mary Grasek
Wendy Hastings
Julie Herman
Rosemary Howard
Maria Kastan
Peggy Kehoe
Emily Kenas
Carol LaBorie
Betsy LaMere
Katherine LaMere-Fortman
Patrice Maloney
Joyce Martelli
Claudia Mejia-Willett
Susan Miller
Elaine C. Mileo
Samantha Nolte-Yupari
Mary Pat O’Brien
Colleen O’Hara
Antonia Orlando
Dejan Pejovic
Lanna Pejovic
Zoe Pruitt
Daniel Rothenberg
Nancy Sadler
Geoffrey Gilbert
Hans Gindlesberger
Eric Granger
Mary Grasek
Wendy Hastings
Julie Herman
Rosemary Howard
Maria Kastan
Peggy Kehoe
Emily Kenas
Carol LaBorie
Betsy LaMere
Katherine LaMere-Fortman
Patrice Maloney
Joyce Martelli
Claudia Mejia-Willett
Susan Miller
Elaine C. Mileo
Samantha Nolte-Yupari
Mary Pat O’Brien
Colleen O’Hara
Antonia Orlando
Dejan Pejovic
Lanna Pejovic
Zoe Pruitt
Daniel Rothenberg
Nancy Sadler
Bill Santelli
Christine Schmitt
Mike T Smith
Linda Starkweather
Jean Stephens
June Szabo
Ashley Trelease
Stefan Zoller
Christine Schmitt
Mike T Smith
Linda Starkweather
Jean Stephens
June Szabo
Ashley Trelease
Stefan Zoller
Handbags
I just completed this collection of twenty-four paintings. I am fascinated by the handbags depicted in ancient civilization bas-reliefs and sculptures across continents.
I created twenty-four different stencils to carve into ,my 6″ x 6″ hardboards. Then I used encaustics (and paper collage) to add color and texture.
I painted the backing board with both chalkboard paint and magnetic paint, as the mysterious handbags of old were perhaps electromagnetic in nature.
Then I added collage items that reflect my own history, as well as my signature arsenal of devices: game pieces, keys, ribbon, jewelry, wood chips and bobbins.
The fleur-de-lis dominoes have a beautiful patina, as they are new ones mixed with vintage pieces, which I love.
All are framed and ready for their conquest of the world.
There is such a rewarding feeling of validation and joy to the completion of a new series. I will bask in that after-glow while contemplating what to do next – possibly a second set of these or incorporating the handbags into a larger work, or, or, or?
Yesterday was a day of art immersion – two art shows and a fabulous day spent with my friend and fellow artist, Penny Santy. In conversation, I kept going back to this series, thinking about what I wanted its journey to be and truthfully, it would be amazing if someone wanted to buy them all and keep them together, because I feel like they are meant to be together.
But then, I think about how the ancient handbags are found in South America, Egypt, Turkey and Iraq. They stump archeologists as to their function. Maybe my handbags will be separated and valued individually, and treated with questionable mystery by the viewers who encounter them.
It’s exciting to dream about a future for my little paintings. They are infused with love, so whatever the outcome, they, and I, will be okay.
Professional Artist @ Work
Penny came by today to collect my painting, CAMARADERIE. She’s going to deliver it for me. The new art exhibition at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, Women. Art. Voices., begins next week with a reception on March 6th, 2026 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM. The show runs through March 28th.
On Friday, I dropped off my butterfly paintings for the exhibition at Art Haus Syracuse. The show starts on Saturday, February 28th, 2026, which is also the date of the art reception – February 28, 2026 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM. That show ends on April 4th.
So, I have two art shows in March. I will have a solo show at East Syracuse Free Library during May and June 2026. I’ll be displaying my new encaustic trees series at that show.
Today I started working on another set of encaustic heart paintings. I created a new heart stencil. They are 5″ x 7″ and I am planning to mount them onto 8″ x 10″ chalkboard.
What you are seeing here – not done! No – this is just first passes of color plus the colorful rice papers and origami papers.
What I’m loving right now is how they are both familiar and fresh/new. I have enough colors to fill five pancake griddles. When I first started with encaustics, I only had one griddle! The devices I add to my paintings has also expanded so this series is different, challenging and so fun! I love making them and I love love. <3
Encaustic Trees
It was three below zero in Syracuse today. I did not visit my favorite trees on a hike – I draw the line at eleven degrees, thanks.
I spent the day completing my encaustic trees collection. These paintings are 6″ x 8″ encaustic & collage mounted on 11″ x 14″ chalkboard, and framed.
I added oil pastels, vintage stamps, keys, embroidery floss, checkers, cedar chips, ribbon, 1963 pennies and French bobbins – from France!
I am so in love with them. It is such a weird feeling – so happy to have completed them, proud of myself and the choices I made, but also sad that it is over.
I feel like I should expand the series. I created twenty-four of them, twenty-four different tree shapes. Do I make twenty-four more with twenty-four different shapes? Do I reuse the shapes and change the colors, as I did with the lotus collection? I don’t know yet.
I don’t even have a plan for where I will exhibit them. I am scheduled to show at the East Syracuse Free Library this May through June, so, maybe there.
I am actually still waiting for a back order of frames (four are technically not framed – I just set them in a broken frame in order to photograph them). Once they get delivered, all the paintings will be stored away and I will vacuum and reclaim my living room floor, and my dining room table – until the next project presents itself. <3
The Art of Creation
Yesterday I experienced a meltdown. I was adding the hardware to the backs of the frames and it was taking longer than I wanted it to, which led me to the inevitable existential crisis – what am I even doing and why??????
I took a mini-break to collect myself then continued until I finished that task. I went for a hike, came home and had lunch then continued to tweak the paintings.
Adding the collage materials makes me feel a bit like a fashion stylist. The items should enhance each individual painting while creating a cohesiveness that is essential for the overall arch of the series.
I began to have clarity and after hours of work… suffice to say that the new gold enamel paint had been delivered and I decided, at midnight that I had to apply it. The gold to me represents the Japanese art of kintsugi. So, it felt like a culmination of the emotional journey of this day.
I didn’t love it but I kept at it because it had worked nicely on the Lotus paintings. But it WASN’T WORKING!!!!
This morning I spent several hours removing it. A painstaking process but one that was entirely necessary. Metaphorically, it felt like I was erasing the negativity and the desire to fix something that is broken with something better, as kintsugi is known to do. It is supposed to be a form of respect.
But these new paintings weren’t broken. And they do not have any sort of negative emotion or melancholy infused in them. They are my trees – the ones I visit every day while on my hike. And if you believe in animism, they are strong, loving creatures that support one another in a storm, that provide shelter from the rain, that reach for the sun at all costs.
I wiped away the residue, like wiping away the tears I had shed earlier, and decided that what I am doing is important, because it is fun – and that is all that matters.
I am still waiting for a back order of frames and there is still more work to be done on this artwork because it is all about the layers – the depth of character and all that hidden stuff that creates my visual language.
Stay tuned for the big reveal….
Fan-Girl (Encaustic Fans)
Blizz
It started snowing at 9:00 AM and now, at 5:00 PM we have already had what I think is eighteen inches of snow. It has been relentless, but, no biggie, because we all knew it was coming.
So happy that my art studio is in my house because I’ve been working all day. I added to the crown paintings – they are almost done.
Before I did that, I heated up the beeswax-filled crockpot then placed three coats of wax on 6″ x 8″ Ampersand hardboards and then traced the tree stencils onto them.
There are twenty-four boards and each will have a different tree design. They are fresh and modern, and fun! I’m excited. I am an avid hiker. I finally realized that trees should be an important part of my encaustic iconography. Today was the day!
In fact, I had a realization about my artwork that I will share with you soon. My series of crowns, horses, fans, bungalows, hearts, targets and now trees are all connected and I hope that they can all be shared together in one (or more) large gallery in the near future.
The overlap is a bit out of control focus-wise because, let’s face it, we are all attracted to the new thing, the latest thing. I don’t want to rush the conclusion of these crowns. I may have rushed adding collage materials today – I will allow the experience to digest and look at the work again with a fresh perspective later tonight or tomorrow.
I am loving my productivity though. I think I am an Existentialist and this is my purpose. A vocation rather than a business. I trust that the business and financial element will follow because I have already secured so many shows for 2026.
In that realm, next up is the Art Haus group show with a drop off in late February and the reception scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2026 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM. I will be at the East Syracuse Free Library during May and June 2026, the Fayetteville Free Library in July 2026, the Hazard Branch Library in August 2026 and the drop off for another group exhibition in mid August at the Edgewood Gallery. That show will be up through October 3, 2026.
Me & My Membership
I am a member of the Rochester Contemporary Art Center (137 East Avenue, Rochester, New York 14604. My encaustic & collage painting, “Girl”, is there (above). It is from my Fan-Girl series.
The Rochester Contemporary Art Center’s thirty-fourth Member Exhibition is in full swing through February 14, 2026. There are over five hundred pieces of art in this show and it is AMAZING!
All artwork is for sale with a portion of the proceeds going to the gallery. This exhibition is a must see! I think what happens is you will be drawn to a few things at eye level then you’ll step back and see that there is so much more. Sculpture, ceramics, paintings, photographs, abstracts, realism – it is the most eclectic mix of talent.
To the volunteers who erected this art show- I commend you! It must have been a giant puzzle to solve to place everything in such a way that each piece gets the respect it deserves. It is a glorious achievement.
The gallery hours –
Wed. – Sun. 12-5pm
Fri. 12-9pm
- It is $2 per visit and free for members.
From their web-site:
RoCo was founded as the Pyramid Gallery
In 1977, a small group of artists led by Tony Petracca, John Kavanaugh and Albert Robbins joined together to exhibit their artwork, present an alternative to museums and commercial galleries, and expand the cultural offerings in the region.
Early on, the crew faced considerable obstacles. Only days after the grand opening there was a significant fire that left the small Monroe Ave. storefront and many artworks damaged. Fundraisers were held and walls were rebuilt. Thanks to the perseverance of the founders and their fellow artists, the Rochester art community has been the beneficiary ever since. After formalizing the organization began to receive New York State and foundation funding and soon began to play a significant role in the artist-run space movement of the era. Still there was uncertainty and challenges. The Culture Wars and shifting foundation priorities altered the funding landscape. Through the decades and several different locations, RoCo’s individual members have provided a stable base for the organization. This significant community support has enabled RoCo to survive and thrive when other small art centers have struggled and even closed their doors. In recent years RoCo’s membership and stature has grown significantly. Now as we celebrate our 40th Anniversary, we’ve achieved outright ownership of our facility and are approaching 1,000 members for the first time in the organization’s history.
