Homage to Jeanne Wiger
and the Encaustic Serigraph
Norman Soskel
Portfolio
Norman Soskel
Summer 34
I thought I had coined a new term. Having learned
how to screen print from my daughter, Shira
(BFA, School of the Art Institute of Chicago), I
was delighted to be able to use my photographic
skills and images in another medium. Screenprinting
provided some precision that I could not
attain in painting. After learning about encaustic
painting from one of Shira’s former high school
teachers (Mary Van Gieson), I started to incorporate
photographic images into that medium also.
I then wanted to be able to combine them all and
try to print using wax. I found out that Roy Lichtenstein
had done just that (Kushner, 2010). He used
a technique called Wax Type developed at GraphicStudio
in Florida by Donald Saff. After developing
the technique, initially in hopes of collaborating
with Jasper Johns, Saff asked Lichtenstein to try
out the process. This resulted in a series of prints
of the Brushstroke series. When I started looking
into this process, I believed that I had coined the
term encaustic serigraph, because I’d never seen
it stated before in any of my references on encaustics
(Stavitsky, 1999; Mattera, 2001; Womack,
2008; Seggebruch, 2009; Rankin, 2010) or serigraphy
(Auvil, 1965; Castleman, 1991; Henning,
2006), nor had I been able to find it on the Internet.
The word encaustic (burning in) has been around
for about 2500 years (Rice, in Stavitsky, 1999). A
group of American artists working with the Federal
Art Project (WPA) formed the National Serigraphic
Society in the 1930’s. This group and Carl Zigrosser,
curator at the Phildaelphia Museum of Art), devised
the term serigraph in order to distinguish the fine art
silk screen from commercial screen printing (silk
screen process print) (Auvil, 1965 and Poulson).
But still no encaustic serigraph was to be found.
Eventually, I came across a master’s thesis written
by Jeanne Wiger entitled “Descriptive Analysis of
the Symbolism and Technique of Seven Prints in
the Medium of Encaustic Serigraphy,” dated July,
1968 (Wiger, 1968). After much ado, I was able to
obtain and read the thesis. Ms. Wiger’s descriptions
are very precise and organized; she describes
the technique as well as its pitfalls and ways to
Figure 1, Seventh Word, Encaustic serigraph by
Jeanne Wiger, (Wiger, 1968, p. 83), 24” x 19”.
get around the technical problems and as a result
produced seven beautiful and expressive prints (Fig
1). Thus, Ms. Wiger developed the technique about
20 years before Saff or Lichtenstein, but is never
credited with the discovery. Brice Marden printed
with a mixture of wax in 1974, but was quick to
admit that it was mostly oil with a little bit of wax and
he didn’t burn it in, so it was not true encaustic. More
recently, Pat Steir, using GraphicStudio’s Waxtype,
created a lithograph overlaid with waxtype called
“Sky’s Four Sides” in 2000 (Graphic Studio, 2000).
Although I wish I had coined the term myself, I want
to give Jeanne Wiger credit for this development.
Lastly, I’ve been in contact with Ms. Wiger and
she’s been very appreciative of my interest. I have
included here a few of my recent attempts at this
endeavor (Fig. 2 and 3); however, this is a process
in development, as there are many technical difficulties.
References:
Auvil, Kenneth W., Serigraphy. Silk Screen Techniques for the Artist, Prentice-Hall, Inc, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1965.
Castleman, Riva. Seven Master Printmakers. Innovations in the Eighties. The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1991.
Graphic Studio web site..
Henning, Roni, Water-based Screenprinting Today. Watson Guptill Publications, New York, 2006.
Kushner, Marilyn Satin, Donald Saff. Art in Collaboration, DelMonico Books, New York, 2010.
Poulson, Pamela Mills. Serigraphy..
Rankin, Lissa. Encaustic Art. The Complete Guide to Creating Fine Art with Wax. Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 2010.
Rice, Danielle, Encaustic Painting Revivals: A History of Discord and Discovery, in Stavitsky, 1999, p. 5.
Saff, Donald and Sacilotto, Deli. Printmaking. History and Process, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, 1978.
Seggebruch, Patricia. Encaustic Workshop. Artistic Techniques for Working with Wax. North Light Books, Cincinnati, 2009.
Stavitsky, Gail, “Waxing Poetic. Encaustic Art in America,” Montclair Art Museum, May 23-August 15, 1999.
Reproduced by R&F Handmade Paints, 2007 with Permission from The Montclair Art Museum.
Wiger, Jeanne M., Descriptive Analysis of the Symbolism and Technique of Seven Prints in the Medium of Encaustic
Serigraphy, July 1968, unpublished Master of Science Thesis, Moorhead State College.
Womack, Linda and William. Embracing Encaustic. Learning to Paint with Beeswax. Hive Publishing, Portland, OR, 2008.
www.EAINM.com