Starting a new body of work is daunting. About a
third of a way to completion I reach a plateau where
I need to maintain consistency across pieces, so I
work on several concurrently to keep the same spirit
and emotion. The final third is the hard part. I might
like something and I’m afraid to make changes and
ruin it. But when I stick with it and that final birth
occurs when I have the finished piece, it’s thrilling.
While my photographer is shooting the work, I
stand back and think, “Wow that looks good.”
Though my work may look the same after 13 years,
every time I pick up a brush I learn something
new. My framer notices the nuances of change. I
used to carve into wax or apply metal forms; I’ve
gone through eras and keep a piece from each
era around. I experiment but go back to pure wax
without collage, etc. I use wax in a painterly way
and consider myself a painter.
Sometimes it’s tough to stay energized and inspired.
It takes self-discipline. Persistence. When I’m on
deadline and working late, I call up something
inside me that says, “relax, you’re a professional
you know what you have to do, let your intuition
and psyche take over.” That works every time. I find
that somehow I achieve little victories that keep me
propelled.
I’m too busy to write ideas down; I internalize them
in my mind and I can progress or succeed without
heavy journaling. I do a lot of thinking and resolving
while driving or running errands. I collect things that
are plan-related and architecturally organized—
usually from a magazine— and put them in binders.
Before I start a body of work, I thumb through the
binders and something talks to me and I start
seeing a pattern, shape, color or idea. I pull the
pages out and start a notebook for the new series.
If I have free time between shows, I’ll pick up a
panel, lay down color in stripes and do experimentations.
These are exercises, and I have the
freedom in my mind to experiment with color and
techniques. When I’m on deadline for a show and
pressure builds, I don’t do much experimenting.
But by producing 10-12 paintings for a show, I see
some evolution in the direction of that body of work.
From past exhibitions there might be a specific
idea I want to pursue. I worked a show around
aviation and international airport floor plans (my son
is a pilot). I also used as inspiration the cobalt blue
route line on Mapquest. I routed locations from my
studio to art museums around the country and this
became a catalyst for experimenting with neon,
maps, etc.
I’m Not Worried at All, 2012, Encaustic on panel,
48” x 36”.
Don’t Let It Break Your Heart, [detail], 2012,
Encaustic on panel, 48” x 36”.
Kathleen Waterloo
Portfolio
Winter 27
www.EAINM.com