Simple Encaustics

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Today was the work day as I played all day yesterday as it was warm and sunny - a no brainer to spend it being adventurous from the time I woke up till midnight!   The price I had to pay was to work today on my NYS sales taxes, as well as plan my Studio Art Lesson plans for the week.

We are studying Ancient Roman art, and I want to do a simple encaustics lesson with the students.I don't have encaustic supplies in school, so I have to bring in my own, and those of you who work in encaustic know it is rather costly. 

I found a website that though very crafty, has some great ideas on how to experience encaustics with simple materials such as irons and electric fry pans.  I have a few old irons in class, as well as a tacking iron, and I have one large electric fry pan that can be used by 2 students at a time.

We won't be making art for the Guggenheim, but some of the methods are fool proof, necessary for these at-risk students, and they will least get an understanding of how encaustics work, and I can guarantee that each student will make at least one cool piece that they can make into a card.
A lucky group of 12 of them will get to visit R and F Paints in town (oh am I lucky to have the factory/class/gallery in my own city!) to further explore the medium. 

Visit the website..it is at http://encaustic.com/ and it has videos and simple demos.  Tonight's art are a few samples I made using the iron and a few paints heated up in cans on the fry pan, as well as using the surface to mix up a few color.  I will be able to set up 4 stations....for 12 kids.  That will be interesting, but they will have to learn how to take turns-it is the best I can do!

Off to start to preview "Who Does She Think She Is"  as I want to see if it is appropriate for my Women's Studies class.  I got it on Amazon, and it is the House Party version.  I will throw a few screenings here, so those of you who read this who are local, let me know if you want to come over and see it!

Off to movieland, Ciao for now! 

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