I spent some time with artist Sara Mast back in June of 2009 when we were included in the New Talent Show at Rosenfeld Gallery in Philadelphia. It was an instant lightening strike of friendship and artistic partnership.
I use the word lightening for a reason. There is a crackle, a synergy
in which ideas become reality when we are together. When she came east
again in January of 2010 for our shows at Rosenfeld, we were shopping
for wine when we came across a wine called FUSE.
"FUSE
explodes with the aromas and flavors of a much more expensive Napa
Valley wine. The name derives from the inclusion of a significant
portion of Syrah, adding an exotic, spicy twist to the blend...igniting
the senses! It also refers to the friendship of the partners, whose
fusion of passion and experience inspired this wine......"
I
showed the bottle to Sara and of course, we bought two! We decided on
the spot to call our workshop FUSE. The fusing of artists, mediums and
the actual fusing when you use encaustic.
Turn the calender to June 2010 when she is back east to attend the 5th International Encaustic Conference in Provinceton MA. Before we left for the conference I took Sara to a Niyolates@ Class. Niyolates@, created by Rolin San Juan,
is an expressive fitness and awareness movement program. It combines
the dynamic poses of yoga, the explosive power of the martial arts, the
grace & spontaneity of modern and ethnic dances and the stillness
& concentration of Tai-Chi. When we were done she looked at me and
said, “Now I understand where your paintings come from…” It was true,
but not just my paintings. Movement and connectivity with the body can
free up energy and stress to allow anyone’s creativity to flow in new
and dynamic ways. So that is the story of how Fuse: Art, Body, Motion
was born.
Both
Sara and I have taught drawing and paintings for many years (see bios
below). This small, team-taught workshop will be an individualized
experience for each participant. We will cover all basics of encaustic
as well as move beyond technique to explore the expressive potential of
wax and a mixed media approach. Our goal is to guide each participant in
finding his/her personal vision.
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| The Studio in Montana |
The workshop will be held in Sara's studio just east of Bozeman,
nestled in the foothills of the Bridger Mountains. This valley was named
the Valley of the Flowers by the Native Americans who gathered here
before the European settlers arrived. It represents a peaceful meeting
place where indigenous tribes worked together to share their dreams and
visions, nurtured by the natural world that surrounded them. The beauty
and serenity of this special place will inspire your work and delight
your senses.
An example of what a day might include:
8:30 Pick up in van for commute to Trail Creek Road studio
9-12:30 Demos/worktime
12:30-1:30 Lunch (provided)
1:30-4 Demos/work time
4-5 Niyolates@ Movement & release after an intense work day
5-6 Relax in the beautiful surroundings of the Gallatin Valley or take a hike or horseback ride...
6 pm Van to the hotel – dinner on your own in downtown Bozeman
Each
day of the workshop will be guided by the interactions of the group and
by the instructors' response to the needs and desires of each
participant. Possible areas to be covered include: encaustic and mixed
media demos; use of pigment sticks, printmaking, and experimental
drawing; art career advice on how to expand your creative research, get
the work out, write an artist statement, apply for grants and
residencies…and more.
Here are videos of Sara and myself talking about our work at the Rosenfeld opening.
BIOS
Sara
Mast is a widely exhibited artist whose paintings are included in over
30 public and private collections in the United States and abroad. Her
work is included in Joanne Mattera’s book Encaustic Painting:
Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax.
Exhibitions in 2011 include As Above, So Below, a solo exhibition at
Rosenfeld Gallery in Philadelphia, PA; Repertoire, a group exhibition at
Zolla/Lieberman Gallery in Chicago, IL; and Night Visions IV, a juried
exhibition at Coconino Center for the Arts in Flagstaff, AZ. Sara lives
and works in Bozeman, Montana, and is a co-chair of the Drawing/Painting
department at Montana State University.
Lisa
Pressman’s paintings incorporate oils, collage, wax and other mixed
media to create works that allude to a personalized time and space. The
work is the physical embodiment of the slow and gradual process of
realization and transformation.Recent and Upcoming exhibitions include:
Kindred Spirits, Schiltkamp Gallery at Clark University, Wooster Mass
and Confluence: Medium Meets Message at the Morean Arts Center, St.
Petersburg, FL in 2012.Pressman’s work was exhibited in Making the Mark
at Susan Eley Fine Art and at the Affordable Art Fair with Anelle
Gandelman Fine Art, both in New York City. Her paintings were also
featured in The Balancing Act, a solo show at Rosenfeld Gallery in
Philadelphia. She is currently an adjunct at the Art Institute of New
York and teaches painting privately and around the country. You can find
her teaching schedule here Lisa Pressman lives and works in West Orange, NJ.
