ENCAUSTIC ART INSTITUTE HAS MOVED TO SANTA FE , NM by Angel Wynn
As a member of the Encaustic Art Institute , I would like to report my first impressions of what this incredible move of the Encaustic Art Institute means for all of us as encaustic / wax artists . I have witnessed its growth and been part of EAI in making the Institute thrive . Since starting the Encaustic Art Institute ten years ago , Douglas Mehrens has been imagining a space in the heart of Santa Fe for exhibitions and education about the ancient wax technique .
That has now become a reality as the Encaustic Art Institute has recently moved its headquarters to downtown Santa Fe . “ The location , we feel , is really great because it ’ s in the Railyard District , and it has a 25-car parking lot to accommodate larger venues ”, says Mehrens . A foot trail leads to EAI from the heart of the prestigious Railyard Art District ’ s shops , restaurants , and the Railrunner train from Albuquerque . The Encaustic Art Institute ’ s new 4500 square foot gallery is home to over 300 pieces of very diverse encaustic / wax artwork . The layout of the large gallery space affords a room to house the Permanent Collection ( NFS ) and a separate large room to house EAI ’ s member artwork ( FS ). There ’ s also a spacious classroom setup to demonstrate the encaustic process . The wide range of wax artwork all comes from over 200 of its ’ members nation-wide .
The Encaustic Art Institute celebrated its 10th anniversary with a grand opening of it ’ s new gallery in March . As a non-profit organization ( 501C3 ), member artists receive 70 % from the sales of their artwork . Donations , art sales , and local members volunteering in lots of ways , help to support the new Encaustic Art Institute ’ s center . The institute ’ s calendar is filling up fast with upcoming events for the year such as a show during Indian Market in August , a gala in September and their annual Juried Show in October .
The Institute is dedicated to bringing visibility to its practitioners ’ art and helping educate the public about encaustic / wax art . The traditional process of encaustic art has been altered as artistic interest has revived in the medium , with many people combining it with photography , paper , mixed media , and more . The outreach to the community will be a place to learn about the encaustic medium , through demonstrations , workshops and teaching children . If you come to New Mexico , make a point to visit us and see this incredible collection of encaustic / wax art . This new gallery houses the largest collection of encaustic / wax art in the nation , a venue not to be missed .