December 6, 2008

New and old art techniques at artists' open house


I learned a new art word today: encaustic.

It's an ancient technique for making art, thousands of years old -- perhaps originating in Egypt -- that uses melted wax to create "paintings." I found not one or two but three local artists displaying their encaustic techniques at the open house of the Racine Business Center Saturday -- in their studios on the top floors of the former Wheary Wagon Wheel factory building.

Below: some pictures from today's event.

Greg Helding with one of his encaustic creations

Maggie Venn with one of her encaustic pieces, reusing an old cigar press

Janet S. Hoffman with her painting, Encore

Raku artist Tony Macias with a favorite piece

Marilu McCartney with a woodcut used to make prints

Ruth Fangmeier with an old-style embroidered cross-stitch quilt

Printmaker Ed Kalke with his George W. Bush Zero Dollar bills

Maggie Venn shows youngster how to make art from recycled materials

Tom Hoffman's Racine Art Capitol of the Mid-West T-shirts

3 comments:

  1. Just spotted Greg Helding's encaustic. Great picture! I love encaustics!!

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  2. Where is this place? I haven't been in Racine long enough to know where former Wheary Wagon Wheel factory building is.

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  3. Sorry ... I listed the address in the advance story.

    The artists' studios -- and many small business operations -- are located in what's now called the Racine Business Center, at 1405 16th St.

    ReplyDelete