Birthday Torch!

Often times, my family will ask what I want for my birthday and my answer will be something related to art.  This year, I'm not sure they knew what I had in mind when I asked for a Home Depot gift card.  I bought this super-cool new blow torch!

It has its own holster!  You can wear it on you while you use the 5 foot hose to torch anything that comes around!

Torching Shellac- Thanks PB Seggebruch for showing me this!



Torching Alcohol Inks

Torching caramel colored alcohol ink

Working with power tools like this is so fun!  Want to learn to play with fire?  Take my "Light My Fire" workshop!  http://www.ambartstudio.com/



Thanks Mom & Dad!  Love you!

Remembering 9/11

Many times I work out thoughts and feelings through my art.  Twin Towers is one of those pieces.

The two large squares represent the footprint of the twin towers.  Smoke is billowing all around the buildings.  I remember how much smoke and ash surrounded everything.

The red square is engulfed in flames, representing 9/11.  The grey square depicts all the souls of those lost, now resting peacefully.  The grey of the square is also the color of the stone on the 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero.

Where there was so much loss at each of the sites of 9/11, there is now renewal and hope.  "Faith, hope and love" is imprinted in Chinese and English three times on the piece.  Each of the sets of symbols represent each of the three locations greatest affected by 9/11.

I will always remember where I was on that day.  I will remember the sacrifices of so many and hope for a brighter future ahead, here 10 years after 9/11.

Summer Studio

I've been living indoors all winter but now it's SPRING!  I moved back to my indoor and outdoor studio on the dock of beautiful Lake Granbury.  Time to spread out and get moving on some of the encaustic  projects that needed a little bit warmer weather.  Here's a peek into my summer studio.  Enjoy the journey!

Making giant encaustic ants

Documenting the Great Fish Kill of 2011 by casting fish bones with silicone.

A gar carcass waiting to be cast.

Inside the lake studio.

Sometimes you have to share space with the fishing tackle. 

It helps to have it at hand so fishing and art can be done at the same time.

More wonderful outdoor space. 

The possibilities are endless!

Hailey's Angel

I love talking about my pieces.  I love that in a blog form, one can read it and also be happy about art.  And if art isn't your thing, you don't have to read it.  However, you might want to read this story because this piece of art is special and has an interesting story.

I knew this piece was going to be this dress.  It has been backed up in my mind for a while.  It's relatively large for a painting of a child's dress, around 4'x3'.  It began with a molten wax pour.  I enjoy playing with the molten wax, scattering pigments and swishing them all around. 

Because of gravity, the piece has to lay flat while I'm working with wax.  I take pictures of my work as I go to get an idea of what it will look like standing up.  I saw the angel right away and then I noticed a little girl in a big party dress, reaching up to kiss the angel.  At moments like these, one has to decide whether or not to include what is seen in the piece.  I decided that it would be a great dress.

I continued to finish the work, protecting the images that I had originally seen.  After she cooled, I stood her up and took pictures.  Before I named her, or even really took a close look at her, I was distracted for several hours.  Upon returning to her, I immediately saw that the girl in the wax was my niece, Hailey, kissing her guardian angel.

She's in a big pink party dress-up dress a few sizes too large for her tiny frame.  Her hair is halfway up; the flying ribbons of her bow and sash exhibit her constant frilly motion. 

The angel is to the left of Hailey, hugging the curves of the dress.  Her body is positioned like a shining art deco hood ornament but she is very softly dressed in the most beautiful gown I've ever seen. Her wings are gloriously spread.  I don't often get personal messages from God but this was a great one.  It gives me a great sense of peace, comfort and joy every time I see her.

What's even better than all of that?  I realized later that the day I finished the piece was Hailey's actual fifth birthday!  Happy Birthday, Princess Girl!  Love, Aunt Ree.