Artist Spotlight: Vicky Hoffman On the Perils of Encaustics

Encaustics is a mixture of resin, beeswax and colored pigments heated on a pancake griddle. Wax is immediate. It is a deliberate medium. Its workability is dependent on conditions – weather and a few seconds once lifted from the hot palette. 

Each layer must be fused with either a heat gun or a propane torch. After each application of a color or material, it must be fused to the layer below. 

Some pigments are more obedient than others. Depending how close the heat source is to the material can alter the “movement” of the materials and pigment. Zinc White has a mind of its own. It can be difficult to get a very thin, straight line and fuse it without it moving or blurring. If a propane torch is used too close to the material, it can spark or catch on fire.

Vicky Hoffman, Redlined: 8.55, 115.2E, Encaustic, 18 x 24"

True stories:

• Not long ago, I had a show in January. With the installation deadline quickly approaching, I was working in one of the coldest December months in history. The wax mixture would not melt on the pancake griddle and increasing the temperature of the griddle is not an option as the material can be flammable. It was crazy and I will never do a show in January again unless all of my work is complete by October or November.

• For one piece, I intentionally wanted burnt edges. Obviously, I did not want to burn down my studio either. An artist friend and I concocted a fusing station that was free and clear of the studio. As I fused the layer(s), she stood by with a hose to extinguish any flames if necessary. Although nothing happened, this was NOT one of my smart moments and I would not do this again nor should the reader of this blog try something as stupid as that.

• Scale. Oftentimes, I hear collectors are interested in large works. Large is defined as greater than 4 feet. Working large is physically taxing – maneuvering the panel board and fusing each layer. In addition, the panel board has to support the weight of the wax. The largest I have worked is 4 ft. x 3 ft. and there’s approximately 15 lbs of wax on that piece. Sadly, I don’t have an assistant to support with the fusing and over time, my shoulder was bearing the brunt of my fusing posture. 

Vicky Hoffman, Energized: 41.2N, 124W, Encaustic, 36 x 48"

I love the magic of this medium. I enjoy the depth and dimension I can achieve by playing around with materials. 

Vicky Hoffman, Shaken & Slipped: 35.8, 114.9W, Encaustic, 18 x 24"

Vicky's current show, Latitude & Longitude, will be at TAG through June 11.

Come meet Vicky at an Artist Panel Discussion on Saturday, June 4, 3pm.

Artist Spotlight: Linda Sue Price on Bending Glass

Bending glass is the process of heating glass over fire until it becomes pliable. 
Linda Sue Price explains her process and progress. 

Linda Sue Price, Nothing Is Black and White, Neon, 15 x 15" 

When I first started to learn how to bend my intention was to bend free form. However, in order to get in touch with the glass I had to practice bending to pattern. Pattern bending comes from the head whereas freeform comes from the gut.

When bending freeform I feel very connected to the glass. It’s like having a conversation with the glass. Some times the communication flows and other times not.

Pattern bending is another issue. But finally after years of practice and the desire to be able to create specific forms, I am now learning how to surrender to the pattern. There are so many things to consider when bending to pattern—how you go into the fire and come out of it so you are positioned to land easily on the pattern.

Other challenges I faced was under heating and twisting the glass. The idea is to heat the right amount of glass for the bend you are making, get it hot enough and heat it evenly.

There are three types of fires used to heat the glass. The ribbon burner—my favorite—for making loop shapes; the cross fire for specific small movements like V’s, U’s, and L’s; and the hand torch for delicate work like attaching electrodes or making small adjustments. The hand torch has less heat so it’s ideal for small, delicate corrections.

In my pattern practice, I’ve struggled with making U bends without getting kinking on the inside. I discovered that I was twisting the glass coming out of the fire. It would look great when I came out of the fire but by the time I got it to the pattern on the work bench, it would kink. After some focused practice I figured out that I was twisting the glass so I spent practice time breaking that habit.

Then I discovered I was under heating the glass. I started under heating because when the glass is hot enough it was too easy to accidentally stretch the glass. By under heating I eliminated the stretching but then I got kinks because the glass wasn’t hot enough.

Once I started getting the glass hot enough, I struggled with overinflation. Part of the process of bending is having a blow hose attached so you can inflate the glass when it gets hot to keep it from collapsing.

There is no scientific process to this. It’s just hours of practice and learning to read the glass.

Then there is the mind. If you over concentrate on the bend you loose it. If you don’t focus you loose it so you have to find the balance. Listening to music while bending helps but some times I start dancing and get distracted..

Currently I’m practicing a pattern and attempting to bend to it. I’ve spent a month or so trying to get the hang of it. I’m in the studio two to three days a week and each week it gets better but bending to pattern is so different. Tonight I began to think—why am I doing this. No one will appreciate how much harder this is for me than the complex free form bends I do. But I am keeping at it. It looks like a simple pattern but it’s really challenging.

After another month of practice and demos by the master, I had success. The bends went the way they were supposed to and the tube was smooth—no crunches and on pattern. Amazing.

Linda Sue Price, Never Say Never (work in progress)

Linda's current exhibition at TAG, Hitting the Pause Button, runs through Saturday, May 14. 
She will be part of an Artist Panel Discussion with Alison Lowe Platt and Dan Janotta on Saturday, May 7, 3pm.

If you have any question you'd like to ask Linda, leave them below in the comments.

Linda Sue Price, Question, Listen, Think, Neon, 15 x 15" x 10"