Sunny Days, Warm Nights at IEA’s Portland Encaustic Retreat
Refresh. Replenish. Reconnect. Nurturing the Inner Artist.
This was the theme for the International Encaustic Artists retreat, September 22-25, 2011, in Portland, OR.
The setting for the retreat was McMenamans-Edgefield, a European style resort set on seventeen acres about
ten miles outside Portland.
Inspirational Voices: Encaustic Masters Juried Show
The Columbia River Gallery in Troutdale (owner Donna Erwin) was
the perfect setting to showcase the awesome talent of our encaustic
artists. There were 70 artists in the exhibit, and 158 images. Best of
Show went to Karl Kaiser , 1st Place: Andrea Schwartz-Feit, 2nd Place:
Melinda Fellini, 3rd Place: Shaun Doll, Honorable Mention: Kanaan
Kanaan, Honorable Mention: Karen Frey. The two Saturdays after the
retreat, there were encaustic demonstrations at the gallery.
Presentation Day
Melinda Fellini and Kelly
Williams gave moving personal stories about giving oneself to art; Jef
Gunn took us back into the minds of various artists’ statements to
help inspire our own work; Kanaan Kanaan told his personal story of
blending culture and religion together to create art, peace, and conversation;
Bridget Benton spoke on art as a communication – a way to
move creatively through the process; Shaun Doll answered questions
about process, especially when you want to branch out into three
dimensional or mixed media work; and Mark Rediske with his funny
and fun stories, all woven together with his art. We all were inspired
and recharged by their stories.
The Annual Membership Meeting and Banquet
Chief Business Officer Margaret Bertrand talked about the highlights
of the IEA year – membership more than doubled, a great new web
page, two very successful exhibitions, and so much more.
Events
Demonstration Day
There were four creativity stations, but the demonstrations never overlapped.
That meant you could stay at a station and continue to make
art or move from demo to demo and learn. This went on all day, with
lots of materials provided to make as many projects as we could fit
in. Presenters were Linda Womack-Surface work with pastels and wax
crayons; Andrea Schwartz-Feit-Cold Wax; Kimberly Kent-Monoprints;
Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch-Mixed Media Foundations; Pam Nichols-Painting
on Paper, transfers and collage; Karl Kaiser and Manuela
Kalestiantz-Carving high and low relief; Ellen Koment-Painting with
dry pigments; Richard Frumess-Pigment Sticks; Binky Bergsman and
Randi Harper-3-D, Unconventional surfaces such as paper clay and
metal; Jef Gunn-Water Pigments; Peter Rossing-What’s new in Encaustics.
The vendor tables were available all day and very lively. Lots of new
products and information.
Lorna Strotz (Secretary), Lorna
Kemp (Volunteers), and Margaret
Bertrand (Chief Business Officer).
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Fall
Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch
demonstrating mixed media
techniques.
www.EAINM.com