Something Special and Unique

It is always nice to give a gift that is special and nowadays there is so much choice when it comes to buying our family, friends and loved ones a present. How about thinking a bit different and giving some original Art.

So what about a change from socks and smellies!

I have bought many a pair of socks as a gift and loads of smellies and don’t get me wrong I really appreciate perfume, especially if its my favorite brands (are you reading this hubby!). But I also like to give something different too. Continue reading Unique Christmas Gifts

Yes it’s nearly Christmas Time!

Time for Christmas Shopping Online

Looking for special presents

Secret Santa Gifts

Something special for family and friends

Shopping online – in the comfort of your own home

Virtual Craft Fair

For November in the run up to Christmas the Art In Wax exhibits section is hosting a Christmas Arts and Craft Fair.

Arts and Crafts

From unique and original art, watercolours, acrylics and encaustic paintings to quirky and fun accessories, bags, handmade notebooks, knitted and crochet, hats, gloves, scarves, plus paper crafts and handmade cards to wonderful jewelers, using all types of materials gemstones, polymer clay, glass beads …….. the gifts and present ideas goes on and on.

Exhibitors

The exhibitors, all listed below, are all Artisans with online shops and stores, have been exhibiting in our virtual market place, and its not over yet …. still time to order your Christmas gifts. Continue reading Christmas is coming …….

Painting Flowers – There’s nothing better!

One of my favorite subjects to paint are flowers, you only have to look at my website and gallery to see that flowers play a part in most of my paintings, they may be the main subject or part of a landscape or held by a lady in a picture maybe.

This latest painting has a vase of flowers, styled like Chrysanthemums and Lilac and painted in pink and purple tones of encaustic wax.

A family of flower lovers

I come from a family of flower lovers, my Mum loved flowers both for the garden and as cut flowers. Her favorite cut flowers included Freesia and Chrysanthemums, Mum liked the large single stem variety of Chrysanthemum and there was always a bunch of these ball like blooms in our home when they were in season, looking majestic with their deep gold, red and pink tones.

Roses are also a popular flower for our family, Mum loved them as did her Mum, who had many in her garden, I remember as a small child going to the rose fields in Yorkshire when visiting our Grandparents and spending hours walking through fields of roses, loving every moment. The scent was amazing and the array of coloured roses has stuck with me to this day.

Memories of flowers still inspire

Memories are very powerful I feel, this family love of flowers, is part of my passion for painting floral subjects, my sister reminded me when I checked with her what her favorite flower was this morning.

“Pinks – I like them because they smell nice and remind me of the flowers in the garden when I was a little girl”.

She also reminded me of a family holiday to Devon, in the 70′s (we were very young!) when we had a day out and looked at rhododendrons for what seemed like ages, at the time we were so bored! and now I could sit for hours just admiring and sketching them.

I love to paint many flowers, and there is nothing better than having a few hours in my studio painting and loosing myself working with the wax. I also love to have real flowers and flowering plants in my home and garden. My own favorites are also Chrysanthemums I prefer spider varieties, and of course roses are high on my list, together with Gerbera, Lavender, Sunflowers, Poppies …… well lots really!

Please take a look at the flower / floral gallery here at Art In Wax to see more paintings of flowers and this painting is also in the shop for sale and a great way to bring the outside in with flowers for all time.

What do flowers mean to you?

What are your favourite flowers? do they bring back memories?

Why not leave me a comment ……

Art In The Work Place

I am sure we would all like our work space to be welcoming and personalised. Depending on what we do, and where we work, can art be apart of that space?

Once I started to think about writing this article I realised that many people won’t have an appropriate type of work space to display art. But some will, are you ; your own boss, have an office, shop, workshop or studio where you work? or maybe you work at, or run a large company with communal areas that have art and wall decorations?

I love to have art, pictures and photographs in my work space. I have worked for myself for many years and have my own office, which I now share with my husband plus I have a artist studio area too now.

Although the pictures has changed over the years, art in one form or another has always been part of my work environment. I am very fortunate be able to work in a space that has the things I like in it, I spend a lot of my day in the office it is great to be able to look at the surrounding and enjoy my time in the office (work permitting naturally!)

Original Artwork

Naturally as an artist who creates and sells original art I am going to focus this article on that subject. However being married to a keen photographer our home and office has a mixture art styles and mediums.

Each of my paintings are unique, even when I paint similar subjects they are all individual, the way the wax flows as I paint is never actually the same and this is one reason I love to work in encaustic wax so much.

It is Affordable! : Having a piece of original artwork may not be a first thought when thinking about wall decoration and I would be the first to agree that it is not always going to be an option, but if its because you think this is going to be expensive – think again!

Continue reading Art In The Work Place

Art Display : Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Beauty may well be in the eye of the beholder, and what we all like or dislike about art is the same – individual and personal choice.

How we display our art is also a personal choice, as an Artist married to a keen photographer our home has lots of artwork displayed. We have framed pieces of art, we have framed photographs on the wall and free standing we also have several display stands in varying sizes on which I display some of my encaustic pieces.

How we display our Art

When purchasing art either online or in a shop, knowing how and where a piece will be placed is often an important part of the decision as to what we buy.

This post shows how some of my encaustic art paintings could be placed on a display easel, the image below are all A4 size paintings arranged on a Winsor and Newton Brent Table Easel which I recently bought online at Fred Aldous, not expensive and looks great on our book case. I also have several smaller display easels ideal for the A6 and A5 size paintings and even a few mini ones for the ACEO’s.

Display Easels : An Alternative to hanging pictures

When displaying my encaustic paintings on a display easel or stand I use only paintings that have been hard backed, due to the natural of the material; wax, they need to be rigid to avoid damage to the artwork. All of my paintings for sale online come either mounted ready to frame or backed with a 2mm backing board, which can either then be mounted and framed or displayed on a stand.

Use Art as home décor accessories : Add interesting touches and talking points

The paintings look great on the display easels another advantage of displaying art in this way is it is movable, no need to drill holes in the walls etc. and to maintain the sheen can occasionally have a light dust with a clean cloth. The smaller pieces (6 x 4) either on a small or mini easel can make great home décor accessories adding interest as an alternative to ornaments.

When people see pieces of my artwork in our home or when they have received one as a gift perhaps, the comments and feedback I have had is how amazing it is that such art is created using wax, the colours, texture and wonderful sheen the paintings have needs to be seen to be appreciated in my opinion!