Again, after a long absence due to ‘life’ just getting in the way a new encaustic has been created!
Measuring 100 cm x 50 cm or 39” x 20” in real terms it is at a stage where I felt I ought to stop. Maybe, there will be some boats added? I’ll have to think about it.
It really doesn’t take too much imagination to visualise these busy fairies darting about! Hither, thither as they fly, darting from one area to another…..
An encaustic ACEO – Darting Fairies
A group I belong to on Etsy.com is called Boomers and Beyond Etsy Street Team, or, simply the BBEST team! Often we have activities which bring members together. This April we have one entitled, Spring.
Thinking caps on….
This is what emerged from my fair hand!
I love the water and the moods it has as well as plant life that thrives at the water’s edge. Here is a scene to depict this simple stretch of water that laps against the reeds in the breeze.
Created with my trusty waxes and hot iron I blended the colours together on a box canvas measuring 30” x 20”.
Sometimes, you just don’t want to part with one of your own creations so perhaps I will re-create another but it will be slightly different!
By the waterside at Lake Indio
At last I have come to the end of the Tulip Series! I created the last two. Now there are five. They can either be mounted separately or together to make a bigger impact.
Created in an ACEO size (3” x 2.5”) they allow you to own an original work of art for next to nothing!
#4 and #5 to be found in my Etsy shop.
Now to see all 5!
It’s 1 February!! Where has January slipped to? However, with the sun shining I look out of my window and find I have crocuses trying to stretch their necks whilst the daffodils are starting to get ready for their show!
Meanwhile, here is another ACEO in my Tulip series ….
After a cold winter what can be more joyous than the sight of spring flowers erupting in your garden? The winds might still blow but these hardy tulips are made of stern stuff!
Here we have number two in my Tulip series. With a delicate pinky red hue you can actually imagine those cold winds whipping through the petals.
Well, I have gone and done it! Yes, I have listed as for sale this painting entitled Autumn Fungi in my Artfire shop.
I decided to include the picture showing how I got my inspiration for this subject matter.
Inspiration!
Result!
Since, like so many others, I am getting tired of the cold of winter I thought I would turn my attentions to the garden. Amazingly, several of my plants are showing signs of life. Many have buds and my Mountain Ash (Rowan Tree) even has a couple of leaves starting to unfurl!
This brings me nicely to my latest ACEO entitled ‘Mauve Tulip’ series. I thought I might do a series so do watch out for the next instalment!
I am slowly returning after the Christmas/New Year celebrations when I was totally laid up with flu! Great!
Then as I was getting over that, I got another cold. Now, over all that and trying very hard to get on with everything again.
And so, my friends, I have listed this encaustic painting in my artfire shop entitled ‘An English Autumn Scene’.
You may remember that this was actually one of my entries into the First Annual Autumn Arts Painting Challenge and Competition on Facebook.
Hopefully, this will be the start of my muse coming to work again!
One of my latest additions to the ACEO family…..
First of all, what is an ACEO? Well, there is only one rule governing the creation of an ACEO which is short for Art Cards, Editions and Originals. That rule being that an ACEO must measure 3.5" x 2.5". No more, no less. It can be portrait or landscape and be created in any medium.
This means that if you are interested in original art you can now afford to have your very own collection! There are different ways of showing off your collection too. Either you can purchase all manner of miniature easels on which to stand your treasured ACEO or you can place them in attractive albums which are then placed on your coffee table so you and your visitors can browse to your heart’s content. Another idea is to mount them in frames, either individually or as a group. Sometimes, using this latter method, especially if grouped by subject matter or colour, you can give quite a visual impact!
Anyway, back to showing off my latest ACEO for sale in my Etsy shop!
This one I entitled ‘Winter’s Brush’. I know winter is just around the corner in the northern hemisphere but maybe this little spot has already been brushed by the cold of winter and then was just left?
Well cool, cool, cool really! I awoke this morning to find I had sold an ACEO entitled ‘Into the Inferno’. Actually, I was very lucky because the buyer had spotted this ACEO a little while back but when she came to order it…. it had disappeared! Thank goodness she sent me a message asking if it had been sold or was still available.
Having been rather busy with builders etc I had rather neglected my Etsy store. Putting on my Sherlock Holmes hat I realised it had expired. Soon sorted that out!
And, now, I can report that the ACEO is safely packed and on its way to its new home!
Just goes to show you have to keep on top of things, don’t you?
For the first time for quite a while I am in the right mood to put iron to canvas! The wonder of encaustics is that you might have an idea of a subject matter but how it will evolve is up to the waxes on the day.
For the first painting I used my hot air gun. Ooooh the power! Well, actually, the heat. I am always very conscious of where I place the gun once I have used it. I really wouldn’t want to set the house on fire!
Whilst I was blowing the waxes around on the canvas and using different colours the idea of water lilies came to mind. I am always amazed to discover how diverse water lilies can be in colour. Remember the famous painting by the artist 
Now here is my interpretation. A very different view but I still feel that the title Water Lilies is right for this encaustic.
Interestingly enough, I only searched out Monet’s painting after I had completed mine. This painting is for sale on Artfire.com
In complete contrast but still using water as my main ‘prop’ I painted this one entitled Sail Boats. I loved the feeling of release and freedom that the sea and sky offer to the lone sailor. Just enough breeze to keep the boats moving!
This encaustic is for sale in my Etsy shop.
So, you see water has many moods depending on colour, application and ultimately, subject matter.
Not only was yesterday a special day for me (my birthday and what a brilliant day that turned out to be!) but someone I recently came across on the internet by the name of Mel Avila Alarilla who lives in the Philippines has posted an amazing recount of my work! http://literatti-aliteraryblog.blogspot.com/ is the link if you would care to visit.
His critique made me blush uncontrollably! Not a pretty sight but I was so honoured to have someone look at my work and enthuse in the way he did. I guess more than that it was an even bigger honour to be caste amongst so many hugely talented artists. Very humbling.
Thank you Mel!
I am sure you have seen much chat about ACEOs? Trouble is often you hear about expressions and because everyone appears to know what they are talking about you feel nervous about admitting you don’t actually know what an ACEO is!
Well, do you remember the old cigarette packets that contained small cards which were collected and traded? That’s how ACEOs came about! Originally, termed as an ATC or Artist’s Trading Card, people loved the idea of collecting these cards but unless you already possessed one, how on earth did you start to trade since this was the only way in which to secure others? Answers on a postcard!!!! No, seriously, someone came up with the bright idea that you could call it something else and therefore now you could not only trade but also buy and sell them! Eureka!! 
An art format started by an artist on 
So, an ACEO or Art Cards, Editions and Originals. They are small at 2.5 x 3.5 inches, or baseball card size. That is the only rule that governs this little critters! They can be created in any medium you wish from a painting to print, from polymer clay to glass. You name it, you make it. It’s that simple!
ACEOs are avidly collected all over the world whether bought/sold or traded and is a wonderful way to collect original works of art at a sensible price.
When I began painting ACEOs in a wax medium called encaustic I found it an exciting way to experiment. There are many collectors out there who all belong to many wide and various groups. Even Ebay has a collectors group!
ACEOs can be presented in a selection of different ways. For instance in an album or slipped into a card as a surprise present! They can be matted and framed to be displayed on the wall either singly or as a collection.
Although the concept of an ACEO is still in its infancy you will find more and more people, like you the reader, learning about them as they are being offered for sale on more and more websites, as well as in some real-world galleries.
Like what you see? Why not check out my Etsy shop or Artfire where you will find a varied selection of ACEOs.
So, what is stopping you? Want to buy or sell an ACEO? Just remember that whatever you do they can become addictive. You won’t be able to stop at just one! Best of all enjoy!
I don't know about you but I guess I must be showing my age since I was brought up on the fairy tales created by The Grimm brothers. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm collected stories in the early 1800s that were neither sweet or soothing. In fact they often tended to be more on the cruel side as in Snow White, Hansel and Gretel. I so remember wanting to hear more but being terrified as well!
When I completed the painting that I entitled Fantasy Fortress I couldn't help but remember some of these stories! There was always a dark, cruel side to them
However, I hope this painting doesn't frighten you too much! By looking deep into it you can see shadows, birds, mountains, castles and fantasy fortresses where a giant might live or a dragon, or even the wicked stepmother! Oh wait, I am a stepmother! NO, NO I am not the wicked caricature, honestly!
As we change the focus onto the painting again I have to admit that this painting started out as an abstract painting of pansies! I was not totally happy so decided to experiment with my hot air gun to see where the waxes would take me. Here, you have it! Fantasy Fortress which is for sale in my Etsy shop. Please follow the link for more information and thanks for looking. 
Well, actually I am finding it very interesting to see how my style of painting in wax is evolving as I gain more confidence and experiment more with the supports and techniques that can be applied in encaustic art.
From the descriptions of my paintings you will note I tend to use block waxes. This is simply laziness on my part and for ease of use/storage.
However, I have been experimenting with different types of supports from encaustic card, canvas panels through to box canvases. I must admit that I am rather taken with canvas panels at the moment finding it easier to manipulate the waxes with the various hot tools such as iron, hot air gun and stylus. The stylus actually has different tips to create different effects which I found very useful for my latest offering.
An English Field is the title of my newest painting. 
Yes, I know! I am extolling the virtues of selling my goodies in my different selling venues/shops but if I don't, who will? I must admit it is one of my least favourite things to do and is so time consuming! I would much rather just play with my waxes and have someone else do the marketing and listing etc. However, that will not happen so you are stuck with me doing the dirty work. Someone has to!
Today, I listed quite a few ACEOs and paintings on my Artfire.com shop. Have you seen them recently? They certainly vary in subject matter but do suit all sorts of budgets and I do try to make my art affordable for all pockets.
This is an ACEO entitled 'Looking out of the Cave'
If you have ever visited UK you may have travelled to Somerset and seen the Cheddar Gorge, a natural formation where many like to walk, climb or visit Wookey Hole which are awesome caves. In this ACEO I have tried to convey the magnificence of the rock formation that could be found.
Cheddar Gorge, UK
In complete contrast here is a painting created using the inspiration I have of underground passages, water and caves. 
Like what you see? Then why not visit my shop on Artfire or my Etsy shop where there are more examples of my encaustic art. Thanks for looking!
I am very mindful that in today's economic climate when money is not as prolific as in past years that there are still folk out there who appreciate art enough to want to buy it! After all, it is a luxury that many of us cannot not indulge in however much we would love to.
And so, that brings me to today. I fired up my laptop to discover a sales notification from my Etsy shop! The sunshine is shining and a sale. What else does a girl want?
My buyer comes from overseas and graciously decided to purchase an ACEO entitled Springtime in the Alps. This is the time of year when we are struggling with bills, trying to stay warm but remain ever hopeful of the stirring of spring. Even now I can see my daffodils starting to show their flower buds, the snowdrops are out and the crocus greenery is showing through a couple of inches. It won't be long now!
Can't you just smell the spring?
Off now to wrap up the ACEO safely for its long journey!
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