of Art Association conference that would be held in Dallas at that time. The talk led to a vision of a locally based artist communities who would gather to share information, build camaraderie, exhibit and educate…and possibly, down the road…come together for some cross-state programming.
About that time, Sharon Kyle Kuhn opened Bay 6 Studios in Austin. She had been using wax in her large scale multi-media work for several years and began a search for more information. Inspired by what Houston and Dallas were doing, she opened her studios to artists in the Austin area for an initial meeting of the minds. I was a newcomer to encaustic painting, but had been looking for a color process to use on my handmade paper canvases. A week before that initial meeting in Austin, I stumbled upon Sharon’s website and drove up the interstate ninety miles to meet with what was to become a fledgling Texas Wax. I started San Antonio Wax six months later.
Becoming Texas Wax…
By the spring of 2009, Texas Wax had almost 100 statewide members and had become a thriving organization with four distinct groups operating independently, connected by common goals. With a growing camaraderie, local shows became invitational shows. Dallas Wax issued an invitation to the rest of the wax communities in the state to participate in the show “Global Swarming,” a well-publicized art exhibit that became a featured event at the 2008 Texas State Fair. Later that year Austin Wax held an invitational fund raising show at Bay 6 Studio Gallery. In the spring of 2009 Houston Wax hosted the first joint Texas Wax statewide juried show, held at M2 Gallery. The evolution from four independent groups within the state to a state-wide affiliation seemed to be the next logical step and a natural outgrowth of the enthusiasm and volunteerism of a growing organization.