Lynn Corsi Bland: April 2011

Mixed Media Artist

I work primarily in acrylics and collage.I use collage and beewax in my assemblage works and am now completing several shrines using found objects. I have been experimenting with encaustic collage and have found the medium very challenging. The paint is a combination of melted beeswax and pigment. A small amount of damar resin is added for hardness. I mix these paints myself and while painting all custom colors are mixed directly on a hot palette.

I will share my progress with this exciting medium with photos of work in progress and finished pieces.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Artists working in Beeswax

Spirit of Motion by Lisa Pressman from her website

This painting by Lisa Pressman is a 24 x 24 encaustic work. I love the way she uses the soft line work to define the composition,

by Judy Wise from her website

These works by Judy Wise are 6 X 8. The dark, vibrant colors in these paintings are what drew me to them.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Getting A Little Fresh Air

My portable studio

Painting outdoors is great, as the lighting is fantastic and I don't have to worry about breathing any wax fumes.
There is an abundance of fresh, spring air for me to breathe.

My Inspiring View

Paper is a great porous surface to paint on when using wax. I am working on small 6x8 pieces of masonite with watercolor paper glued to the surface. The glue I use is white PVA and works very well, although care should be taken not to get any glue on the paper, since it is a plastic based adhesive. I press these under heavy books and wait 24 hours before painting.

I like to break up the surface of the white paper before I begin with the first layer of wax. I have used a shiva oil paint stick to draw lines. A sharpie marker, india ink or oil pastels also work well for drawing. It is important to remember not to use any acrylic paints or inks.

Under painting

On this one I have used watercolors to break up the surface with an under painting of color blocks.

Imagery can be added after the wax has been applied as in the work above. The insect is a transfer I made with a toner copy. A thin layer of clear medium is brushed on the transfer.

I added these lines with a sharpie on top of the wax. A layer of clear encaustic medium is brushed over the surface, this will keep the marker from rubbing off. I love the way it always smears a little and softens the look of the line.

Artist Biography

Born in Daytona Beach, Florida, Lynn Corsi Bland, is an artist who works in a variety of media. Her Constructive Design degree is from Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida. Bland’s work is a combination of paint and wax with found objects to create unique compositions. It has been featured in numerous shows and group exhibitions including The Arrowmont School of Arts Biennial juried exhibition, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, The National Collage Society Annual Exhibitions, Hudson, Ohio, Jack Art Gallery Juried Encaustic Show, Atlanta, Georgia, The National Collage Society Postcard Show, New York, New York, The 2011 Sketchbook Project, Brooklyn, New York, Mason Maurer Fine Art, Atlanta, Georgia The Encaustic Art Institute Juried Show, Cerrilos, New Mexico. The work has received awards and been show cased in numerous magazine publications. Material Visions and Signatures are two books that have included the artist’s work. She holds the distinction of being a Signature Member of the National Collage Society. Living and working in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in the Great Smoky Mountains, gives the artist an abundance of inspiration to draw from.