Articles

I’ve always been fascinated by abstract art, mostly because I can’t even remotely do it. There’s an alchemy that abstract artists channel that disengages them from the urge to represent the tangible world and focus instead on the ephemeral and indescribable. Abstract art is like music; sometimes it’s complex jazz, and sometimes a simple melody. Or perhaps it’s more like an adverb than a noun: it isn’t a thing… it’s what that thing is like.

Regina Bernadette Quinn is an artist and educator living in the Northern Catskill Mountains. She works in a technique called encaustic, which involves painting with layers of colored beeswax in addition to traditional paints. The wax creates a thickness and luminosity to the work which can then be carved and scratched to create texture and reveal the layers beneath. The resulting paintings glow with an ethereal depth that leaves them suspended between reality and dreams. I asked her what inspires her work and her process.

Here is her story.

Monica Cielesz is a fellow copper artist. She works with the natural elements of fire and copper to create dynamic flame-painted woven pieces. While heat can be used to create beautiful colors on the metal, it is also extremely unpredictable. I asked her what inspires her pieces, and how she handles working with such a challenging technique. She spoke about the need for patience and letting go of perfect – two essential skills for artists, no matter their medium.