Be part of the buzz at the opening reception for Jeanne Parker's exhibit From the Hive to the Canvas at the Arts Station tomorrow evening.
Parker is a lifelong resident of beautiful Fernie who has always enjoyed working with her hands and being artistic. Many people will have seen her previous works at The Arts Co-op, in group shows at The Arts Station, as the featured artist in The Fernie Fix, or have seen her painting live on 2nd ave. during the Summer Socials.
From the Hive to the Canvas, is her first solo show and showcases her most recent works in encaustic, a medium she has been working with for over six years. Encaustic is an ancient Greek art in which heated beeswax, pigment, and resin are used to create images.
Dating back to the eighth century B.C., Greek and Romans used beeswax to cure the hulls of their ships and then began to decorate with it. “Encaustic means, "to burn" as each layer is fused together with a blow torch or heat gun to the preceding layer,” explained Parker. “Beeswax is melted at a temperature of about 180 degrees and mixed with damar resin, which is a crystal sap, then pigment is added for colour. This can be powdered pigment, oil paint or oil sticks.”
“It is kept on a hotplate and is painted while hot, this makes it a challenge for the artist, as it cools while it is being applied. It is painted on a ridged, absorbent surface; wooden substrate is preferred as canvas is too flexible.”
There are many ways in which to do encaustic; Parker likes to mold and manipulate the wax. “You can add anything to it, and make collage type art, it will go as far as your imagination will take you.”
Encaustics like any fine art should not be placed in direct sunlight. It should also not be put over a heat source (fireplace).
Her interest in the medium began after taking a basic introduction to encaustic workshop, followed by another in Calgary, and then another in Whitefish and the rest is history. Parker sets a great example about how rewarding it can be to try something new; she never knew when she took that first introduction course that it would begin a lifelong love affair with encaustics.
Parker works with the wax while it is warm and paints layers of melted beeswax onto her canvas to create beautiful texture and feeling in her work. Her works have such depth that it looks like the flowers are coming out of the canvas to greet the viewer.
Her paintings in this exhibition are a collection of her most recent works and share the common theme of nature, something that is very important to Jeanne. Viewers can expect to see beautiful and tactile works depicting trees, flowers, and natural imagery from Fernie.
Please join Jeanne Parker for light refreshments and a first look at these beautiful works of art at her opening reception on Thursday, January 30 at 7 pm. The exhibit will continue until Feb. 28.
For more information about this event please contact The Arts Station at 250-423-4842 or info@theartsstation.com.