Hi! Does anybody here works with encaustics? Have you bring them to outdoor art fairs? I'm curious about the heat during Summer, I'm afraid they're going to melt, should I stick to acrylics? Just curious, Thank you!
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I work with encaustics. It is by far my favorite medium. I have only been in two outdoor art fairs and will tell you about my experience with this type of work. I live in Texas, and boy does it get hot here. My very first art fair was in March, which in my area is usually in the sixties during the day and forties at night. Unfortunately, we had a heat wave the first day of the fair, and it got up to 92 degrees. I have to lift my sides of the tent because it was stiflingly hot, and I don't have propanels because I just have not wanted to spend the money this early in the game. I have a sort of metal pipe system that I used that first show, combined with hanging chains. So as the sun moved up, it shone directly on some of the sides of my smaller paintings. The paintings that I carried the wax over the sides that are all black suffered, and the wax started to slide off the sides, which of course freaked me out, so I put the sides back up and suffered the heat. The paintings that had light sides just got really soft. The paintings out of the sun became tacky, and a bit soft, but of course with the nature of the wax, when they cooled off they were just fine. My second show had the same heat, combined with thirty mile per hour wind gusts.
The thing is, is that I like for people to touch my encaustics, but I learned quickly that with a hot show, that is impossible. You really have to watch out for kids, and a few people that are just rude, because I had gouges in a few of my paintings as well. The bottom line for me, is that I was nervous for both shows. I worried about the direct sunlight, so I had to watch the sides of my tent like a hawk. My larger, expensive paintings weathered the show just fine, and I repaired the smaller ones. My other concerns, were wrapping the paintings that I sold. I only sold small paintings, but I stressed over how they would hold up when they were taken home because they were slightly tacky to the touch. I think they did fine, I have not had any complaints yet, and one lady took her painting all the way back to Australia.
There is one bonus from the heat, the beeswax smells wonderful as it becomes warm! Of course the bees like this too, and I had a few in my tent! The other bonus, at least in the area that I was in, is that most people had no idea what encaustics were, and I had a lot of people that were attracted to the way the medium looks, and had a full tent pretty often as a result.
So to wrap this up (sorry about the rambling), if the paintings are out of direct sunlight, and on a solid display like propanels, they will most likely just get soft. Direct sunlight is an absolute no go. I knew this going in, I just did not see where the sun was until it was too late. I have talked to some pros at the shows, and they said to request shaded areas due to the medium, and that most will be accomodating. The heat does make them more susceptable to gouging. You have to watch people carefully. People will ask to touch, at least they did at both my shows. Some don't ask, and they just do it anyway. They will also ask about how they hold up if in the heat. I had careful answers for those questions. Packing up the things you don't sell is tricky, again, they can get a little soft.
If you have any more questions, I will be happy to tell you what I have learned so far.
Kimberly
Carla Bank > Kimberly Merck- MooreMay 9, 2011 at 11:40am
Thank you Katherine, GREAT advice, this has been really useful for me because I've been always worked with acrylics and sometimes oils. I am starting with encaustics and I am fascinated, why didn't I try this medium before???. I think I am bringing just acrylics to my shows because I applied as an acrylic painter but I was thinking of working all fall with encaustics and apply to my next year shows as mixed media but I think I will do it for indoor shows and commissioned work. I am just afraid because I will be running like a chicken without head almost every weekend doing my shows in the Chicago area.
I LOOOOVE your work, just checked out your site. I've seen lots of encaustics and nothing has amazed me more than your paintings :) What do you use to stick the leaves or metal that I see on your paintings? It it only wax?
Actually, the paintings with the copper leaves on my sight are acrylics. Although, I do think the tree paintings could be done with the wax, and I have thought about trying that. It would just involve building up lots of layers, and carving away to get the shapes. I have other encaustic paintings that are not on the sight yet that involve copper butterfly inlays, and they seem to stick to the wax just fine.
I love the vibrancy of your work! I think fall shows would be fine for encaustics.
Kimberly
Carla Bank > Kimberly Merck- MooreMay 10, 2011 at 10:19am
You are right, Fall shows, I have to look for them. I am booked all Summer but I hope the Fall shows open soon in Chicagoland. I just moved here from FL so I have to inform myself about all the different seasons. I am going to keep watching your work, it is so beautiful! Thanks again! :)
Replies
Hi Carla,
I work with encaustics. It is by far my favorite medium. I have only been in two outdoor art fairs and will tell you about my experience with this type of work. I live in Texas, and boy does it get hot here. My very first art fair was in March, which in my area is usually in the sixties during the day and forties at night. Unfortunately, we had a heat wave the first day of the fair, and it got up to 92 degrees. I have to lift my sides of the tent because it was stiflingly hot, and I don't have propanels because I just have not wanted to spend the money this early in the game. I have a sort of metal pipe system that I used that first show, combined with hanging chains. So as the sun moved up, it shone directly on some of the sides of my smaller paintings. The paintings that I carried the wax over the sides that are all black suffered, and the wax started to slide off the sides, which of course freaked me out, so I put the sides back up and suffered the heat. The paintings that had light sides just got really soft. The paintings out of the sun became tacky, and a bit soft, but of course with the nature of the wax, when they cooled off they were just fine. My second show had the same heat, combined with thirty mile per hour wind gusts.
The thing is, is that I like for people to touch my encaustics, but I learned quickly that with a hot show, that is impossible. You really have to watch out for kids, and a few people that are just rude, because I had gouges in a few of my paintings as well. The bottom line for me, is that I was nervous for both shows. I worried about the direct sunlight, so I had to watch the sides of my tent like a hawk. My larger, expensive paintings weathered the show just fine, and I repaired the smaller ones. My other concerns, were wrapping the paintings that I sold. I only sold small paintings, but I stressed over how they would hold up when they were taken home because they were slightly tacky to the touch. I think they did fine, I have not had any complaints yet, and one lady took her painting all the way back to Australia.
There is one bonus from the heat, the beeswax smells wonderful as it becomes warm! Of course the bees like this too, and I had a few in my tent! The other bonus, at least in the area that I was in, is that most people had no idea what encaustics were, and I had a lot of people that were attracted to the way the medium looks, and had a full tent pretty often as a result.
So to wrap this up (sorry about the rambling), if the paintings are out of direct sunlight, and on a solid display like propanels, they will most likely just get soft. Direct sunlight is an absolute no go. I knew this going in, I just did not see where the sun was until it was too late. I have talked to some pros at the shows, and they said to request shaded areas due to the medium, and that most will be accomodating. The heat does make them more susceptable to gouging. You have to watch people carefully. People will ask to touch, at least they did at both my shows. Some don't ask, and they just do it anyway. They will also ask about how they hold up if in the heat. I had careful answers for those questions. Packing up the things you don't sell is tricky, again, they can get a little soft.
If you have any more questions, I will be happy to tell you what I have learned so far.
Kimberly
Thank you Katherine, GREAT advice, this has been really useful for me because I've been always worked with acrylics and sometimes oils. I am starting with encaustics and I am fascinated, why didn't I try this medium before???. I think I am bringing just acrylics to my shows because I applied as an acrylic painter but I was thinking of working all fall with encaustics and apply to my next year shows as mixed media but I think I will do it for indoor shows and commissioned work. I am just afraid because I will be running like a chicken without head almost every weekend doing my shows in the Chicago area.
I LOOOOVE your work, just checked out your site. I've seen lots of encaustics and nothing has amazed me more than your paintings :) What do you use to stick the leaves or metal that I see on your paintings? It it only wax?
Thanks again for your post, very interesting
Keep creating!!
Carla
www.carla-bank.artistwebsites.com
Thanks Carla!
Actually, the paintings with the copper leaves on my sight are acrylics. Although, I do think the tree paintings could be done with the wax, and I have thought about trying that. It would just involve building up lots of layers, and carving away to get the shapes. I have other encaustic paintings that are not on the sight yet that involve copper butterfly inlays, and they seem to stick to the wax just fine.
I love the vibrancy of your work! I think fall shows would be fine for encaustics.
Kimberly