TOTAL
IMMERSION:
LAYERS OF LIFE
AND WAX
Portfolio
Howard Hersh
Spring 18
Howard Hersh in his studio
When Howard Hersh sets out to make a painting, the process
is in motion long before he melts the pigment and wax. After over
25 years of creating artwork, his subconscious has become a vast
subliminal repository of references, perceptions and sensibilities. As
he works, he taps into this, following intuition, memories, and imagination,
and so the painting begins.
Hersh considers it critical to his creative practice that he
spends time in his studio daily. Whether or not he picks up a brush
to paint, or a pan to pour—he spends time there, living with his work
and the process of making his art. Following his passion, this time
spent in the studio contributes to a lifestyle of total immersion. This
habit supports Hersh’s ability to have strong vision and awareness as
he works. Referring to nature “his dominant muse” this influence is
intrinsic to his work. He recalls spending early childhood years playing
in the woods, camping with his family, and later, being part of the
“back to the land” movement of the 1960’s. Hersh describes these
events as having profoundly impacted his psyche and being inherent
to his identity. These earliest childhood experiences inform his work
today.
A self-professed non-academic artist, Hersh downplays the
importance of historical context but values his current connections to
life, nature, and the world around him. He views each body of work
as a continuum—that which was created last year and yesterday is
connected to the work he creates today. As he works on an individual
painting, each piece takes on a life of its own.
Because encaustic has no drying time, he prefers to work on
one piece at a time. The exception would be when he becomes
stumped on a painting, at which point he may decide to start another
one—until he can figure out what’s required with the stalled piece.
Putting down the paint, pouring the wax, making marks,
choosing color, and making decisions while working to resolve the
painting is a very fluid process. Says Hersh: “Each painting initiates a
dialogue with me. Sometimes this is a quick and easy process, and
www.EAINM.com
How San
Francisco
Abstract Artist
Howard Hersh
Approaches His
Art Practice
By Lynette Haggard
Detail of Lefts & right
“Each painting
initiates a dialogue
that I must engage
in.”