I've turned to a new technique recently. These pieces are made with graphite and conservator's wax, an acid free paste wax normally used for cleaning and polishing. The process involves not only scraping back to the bare Claybord, but adding more layers of graphite and wax, then scraping again. Although I've mainly used a mini box cutter for the scraping, some of these effects are achieved with a waxy rag, cotton swabs, sandpaper, and steel wool. In order to add traces of colour, I've also used touches of egg tempera, pigment mixed with wax, and brown shoe polish.
These pieces will be available for purchase at Village Studios in Stratford, Ontario, from November 21, when I'll be having a two-person exhibition of new small works with Matthew Tarini.
Landscape #1
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 8 x 10" SOLD
Landscape #2
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 8 x 10" SOLD
Heron
graphite, conservator's wax, egg tempera, and shoe polish on Claybord, 5 x 7" SOLD
Modesty
graphite, conservator's wax, pigment, and shoe polish on Claybord, 12 x 12"
Sheep
graphite, conservator's wax, and iridescent silver pigment on Claybord, 12 x 12" SOLD
Rabbit
graphite, conservator's wax and shoe polish on Claybord, 12 x 12" SOLD
Tree near the Thames Source
graphite, conservator's wax and shoe polish on Claybord, 5 x 7" SOLD
Tree Swallow
graphite, conservator's wax, pigment and shoe polish on Claybord, 7 x 5" SOLD
Mouse
graphite, conservator's wax and shoe polish on Claybord, 1 11/16 x 2 1/8" SOLD
Wittenham Clumps
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 2 1/4 x 2 1/4" SOLD
In Wytham Woods
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 2 1/4 x 2 1/4" SOLD
Landscape #3 (near Kelmscott)
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 1 7/16 x 3 15/16" SOLD
Bridge on the Thames
graphite, conservator's wax, egg tempera, and shoe polish on Claybord, 8 x 10"
Landscape #4
graphite and conservator's wax on Claybord, 5 1/2 x 14" SOLD
Hilly Landscape
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 8 x 10" SOLD
Oxford Night
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 5 1/2 x 10 3/4 SOLD
Beech Tree
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 11 x 14" SOLD
Church Street
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 10 x 8" SOLD
Vine
graphite, conservator's wax, and shoe polish on Claybord, 7 x 5" SOLD
Landscape with Tree: Rain Coming
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 8 x 10"
Rooves
graphite, conservator's wax, egg tempera, and shoe polish on Claybord, 8 x 8" SOLD
Landscape with Path
graphite, conservator's wax, egg tempera, and shoe polish on Claybord, 8 1/4 x 11"
Donated to I Love My Gallery Auction, Gallery Stratford
Donated to I Love My Gallery Auction, Gallery Stratford
Goldfinch
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 4 x 4" SOLD
Baby Robin
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 4 x 4" SOLD
Quince
graphite, conservator's wax, and egg tempera on Claybord, 5 x 7" SOLD
Skeleton of a Baby Gorilla
graphite and conservator's wax on Claybord, 14 x 5 3/8" SOLD
Teri's Garden
graphite and conservator's wax on Claybord, 8 x 10" SOLD
Indigo Bunting
graphite, conservator's wax, and pigment on Claybord 5 x 7" SOLD
3 comments:
These are incredible. I would love to hear more about this technique! I'm having a hard time picturing what the wax and scraping achieve. Is it basically painted on to resist the graphite, then scraped of and repainted elsewhere? Like masking in watercolor? Does any wax remain in the final piece, or is it all removed?
Whatever it is, you've done it brilliantly.
Hi, Tatiana.
Great questions. The conservator's wax is a paste wax. I apply it with a rag and use it to blend the graphite. So it does, indeed, stay on the final piece. It can also be used to soften the edges and remove the graphite if I discover I've put too much on. It's basically just another medium that mixes with the graphite. It also binds any dry pigment to the panel so that colour can blend with the graphite.
I'll try to post some photos of work in progress over the next few days so you can have an illustrated view of this answer!
All the best,
Leslie
Thank you, that would be fantastic!
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