Flow & Control July 16, 2010 12:15 pm 
Encaustic, Painting

“A ballsy choice!”

That’s what co-exhibitor David A. Clark said about juror, Joseph Carroll’s decision to give these three paintings a wall of their own at Flow & Control. I agree. It was ballsy choice and as the artist it was thrilling.

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Three paintings anchoring the main wall at Montserrat’s 301 Gallery

I have a large gesture. It’s my tendency to draw things larger than they appear in life. Encaustic, however, encourages smallness. The paint cools quickly and it’s not unheard of for it to harden mid-stroke. Though it’s possible to work large in wax, I have better success rate, more of my paintings get completed successfully, when I keep my panels small.

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Three paintings, 5″ x 4″

I knew when I shipped these pieces there was a chance they’d get relegated to smaller wall in a supporting role, especially if the show was more crowded or arranged more timidly. That’s the chance one takes when submitting diminutive paintings.

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“Old Fashioned Rocketry,” “Castle,” and “Rainforesty”

Though small in size, my paintings read large (an inheritance from the drawings they started as, I suppose). I am thankful to Mr. Carroll for boldly giving them a wall of their own.

Though you can’t see them in the above image, the two pieces that hung on the wall to the right are wonderful. Hot and cold glyphs by Michele Thrane.

2 Comments »
Laurel Kallenbach wrote July 26, 2010 @ 5:14 pm

How cool is it that you were not only chosen to be exhibited but that your work got such prominant placement!!

It may have been a ballsy choice to arrange them so–but it was also a brilliant choice to give your pieces room to breathe!! And, I might add that because you frame just a tiny part of a much larger subject in your work, your pieces psychically need this amount of space.

Well done, Laura!

Laura wrote July 26, 2010 @ 9:14 pm

Thank you, Laurel! I agree, the breathing space was great.

So much of the time, I think, there’s a tendency to fill space up. I see it in myself when I get the urge to decorate by adding brushstrokes, gold leaf and so on to paintings that make me nervous.
(It’s actually hard not to do this.) ;) The paintings I submitted to Flow & Control were made with restraint and it was thrilling to see some of that echoed in their display.

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