Concerned about the food at encaustiCon®? Have strict dietary restrictions? Have cultural or religious concerns? We, as a group, probably have more dietary issues than I've ever seen in one group, myself included! I'm allergic to everything! We IEA'ers are a pretty healthy-eating group. We love whole grains, simple & healthful ingredients, and the choice to put the food best suited to ourselves on our own plate. Each meal will be served buffet style, ensuring that what is on your plate is what you choose to eat.

The cuisine at encaustiCon® 2013 will simply be stunning. Our talented chef at the Eldorado will be Chef Anthony Smith. Read more about Chef Anthony and his culinary team.

One of the perks of staying in such a fine hotel this year is the food is the best in the city! Look over the samplings that await you at encaustiCon® in Santa Fe. And remember, it's ALL INCLUDED in your registration price!

This is the place for you! Leave your name and info as a comment to this blog and interact with others searching for the perfect roommate to share expenses with at encaustiCon® 2013!

Rooms at our host property, the Eldorado hotel, are available at our negotiated rate of $169 per room night, which can sleep up to four people. Be sure to use our link to the hotel to receive our great rate that is more than $100 per room night off the hotel's regular room rate!

Click HERE to book your hotel room at our negotiated rate of $169 per room night!

Happy roommate hunting!

Santa Fe, NM  is a magical city brimming with art, food, outdoor activities, shopping and so much more! With this in mind, we have added Mate Rates and exciting Excursions for encaustiCon® 2013. Our Santa Fe excursions are being brought to us by Marcia Skillman at Destination Services of Santa Fe. Each excursion is a turn-key experience, beginning and ending at our host hotel, The Eldorado. Marcia handles everything and is there, onsite, ensuring a smooth and carefree experience. The full menu of excursions, as well as registration forms, are available on our website, www.encausticon.com/excursions. Here's just a taste of what's offered this year:

Situated in beautiful Northern New Mexico and complimented by splendid southwestern terrain and stunning desert sunsets, the Towa Golf Resort caters to those who are looking for an outstanding golf experience. Designed by Hale Irwin and William Phillips, the course utilizes the natural topography and unique natural rock and piñon trees indigenous to the area. Whether you are an experienced golfer or a high handicapper looking to sharpen your skills, the Towa Golf Resort offers golfing excitement for everyone.

Bandelier National Monument

Travel to Bandelier National Monument where you’ll descend into a canyon filled with the ruins of the Anasazi Indians, colloquially "the Ancient Ones."  Located on the Pajarito Plateau of the volcanic Jemez Mountains, Bandelier was the home of the Anasazi from the eleventh to fourteenth centuries.  Excavated over 90 years ago, these ruins were once home to over 200 people, ancestors of today's Pueblo Indians. Hundreds of petroglyphs carved by the original residents are still visible. You may walk along easy paths past the remains of ancient Pueblo dwellings to the cliff dwellings where you can climb ladders to peer inside.

Salsas! Cooking Class

This hands-on class will give you the opportunity to prepare four different salsas that spice up even the simplest of dishes. You will spend a few minutes learning about the history of salsa, then begin chopping and dicing! You will learn to make and taste; pico de gallo, chayote orange salsa, pineapple, red chile and ginger salsa, and apple, raisin and pine nut salsa. These are quick make-ahead salsas for appetizers, entrees and even dessert.

Excursions are filling up fast so be sure and book yours today! www.encausticon.com/excursions 

Register yourself and/or your Mate for encaustiCon® HERE

Reserve your room at the Eldorado Hotel for our negotiated rate of $169 per night HERE

For more information on Santa Fe, visit our partner's site, the Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Bring your buddy, your spouse, and even your pet to encaustiCon® and enjoy beautiful Santa Fe together! Attendees and their mates may enjoy as little or as much 'togetherness' as they'd like. Choose from two different meal plans or dine on your own. Relax at the Nidah Spa inside our host hotel, the Eldorado. Take an excursion together or send your mate on their way for the day while you immerse yourself in the ways of hot wax.

Santa Fe, and the Eldorado Hotel are very pet friendly so you can feel comfortable bringing your special furry someone along for the trip, too!

Excursions are filling up fast so be sure and book yours today! www.encausticon.com/excursions

Register yourself and/or your Mate HERE

Reserve your room at the Eldorado Hotel for our negotiated rate of $169 per night HERE

Learn even more about Santa Fe from our partner, the Santa Fe Convention & Visitors Bureau

Eileen P. Goldenberg and the Northern California IEA Chapter cordially invite you
to the Networking Expo, Saturday, November 2 from 2:00-3:30PM in the Anastazi
Ballroom.

We encourage all of you "art in the rooms" past participants to check out this year's way to show and sell your work and increase the number of potential customers. Your encaustiCon family will be able to enjoy visiting, viewing and purchasing art and a variety of goods sold by our membership. 

Conference participants will be able to see all you have to offer during this easy and fun social event. Great art, commerce, conversation and refreshments await all.

It's simple to participate, but space is limited if you want to sell your work. Make sure you reserve a space soon. Membership in IEA is required. In the spirit of "art in the rooms", if you wish to show your work only, you may reserve a space for free. You can reserve a full, 2/3 or 1/3 table through the registration process. Once you have reserved and paid for your spot, the rest is up to us.

You will be sharing the well lit, open space that will be yours to show and sell art, that book you just published, or any other artistic related goods or services you want to promote. We will provide the table, market you to our registered conference attendees in a listing via our website, program and Networking Expo. It's a great way to sell without committing to vendor space and time and fees to do so.

You can reserve your spot directly within the conference registration form. Feel free to contact Katherine Berkeley if you would like any additional information at kberkeley@me.com.

What happens to my registration money? Does my IEA membership pay for encaustiCon®? What else will I need to pay for at encaustiCon®?  Below are more details to give a clearer picture of eC13. 

Your fee pays for all meals, hands-on classes, and events at encaustiCon® 2013. Your IEA membership fee does NOT pay for encaustiCon®. We have a self-sustaining budget for encaustiCon® 2013 so that your IEA membership dollars go directly to membership art shows, programs, and member benefits. Rest assured that the encaustiCon 2013 committee is a good steward of your money, negotiating every component of encaustiCon, creating a great value for your conference dollar.

During the registration process, you'll be notified of things that you may choose to do that cost extra money. We strive to make your registration fee as all-inclusive as possible. Even on the evenings that we don't have a scheduled dinner, we have receptions with cash bars, non-alcoholic drinks, fun, entertainment, and hours d'ouvres, so you truly don't have to pay extra money to eat out if you choose not to do so.

We'll all be going out to the monthly gallery night, where we will highlight the local galleries that have encaustic artists in their gallery. And, as I'm sure you know, all the museums, etc. are open late and free. Our international juried show will be at Eggman & Walrus, near the hotel. We'll have a reception there on gallery night as well, awarding winners of the show and hopefully selling some art!

There's a one-time $20 materials fee to pay for all of your supplies for the workshops and hands-on classes that happen during the conference. Post-Conference Workshops are offered at a separate cost from the conference. They will be on the Monday & Tuesday after the conference. Prices and hours are set by the instructor. For your convenience, we collect the money for the instructors and give it back to them. Information about the Post-Con Workshops will be added shortly to registration and to www.encausticon.com

The IEA Members Only show is offered to members that attend the conference. There is no entry fee and you are guaranteed acceptance. You may turn in your artwork at registration check-in to save on shipping costs. The reception for the Members Only Show will be held on Saturday night.

This is just a taste of  encaustiCon® 2013. There is intensive learning, food, and fun around every corner!

2013 encaustiCon® Keynote Speaker

Our keynote speaker, Alan Bamberger, will open and set the tone for encaustiCon® 2013! He will speak to us at noon on Friday, November 1st, at the Eldorado Hotel. Mr. Bamberger will also be available for private consultations throughout the conference as well. Register in advance for a time to meet with the creator of artbusiness.com.

Site principal, Alan Bamberger, is an art consultant, advisor, author, and independent appraiser specializing in research, appraisal, and all business and market aspects of original works of art, artist manuscript materials, art-related documents, and art reference books. He has been selling art since 1979 and rare and scholarly art reference books since 1982, and has been consulting and appraising for artists, galleries, businesses, organizations and collectors since 1985.

www.artbusiness.com

encaustiCon® 2013 Registration time is finally here!

Get a head start on the crowd with Early Bird Registration! Registration opens for IEA Members Only at Midnight, Mountain Time, April 15th, 2013!

Regular eC13 registration will open to the public on May 15th and will be $425 for members and $495 for non-members. Register within the 30-day Early Bird Window for $375- a $50 savings!

Think it’s too expensive to come to Santa Fe? We’ve negotiated great rates for you every step of the way and built the cost of almost everything into your registration. We’ve also highlighted where additional expenses may occur to reduce unexpected surprises. We’ll also have blogs illustrating ways to make your trip to Santa Fe economical and fun.
How much is the hotel going to cost? The Eldorado Hotel is our host hotel for eC13. Our negotiated rate is $169 per room night, which is more than $100 off their regular rate! Consider sharing a room with up to three other people and split the rate between you.

All inside activities will be held within the hotel and all outside activities will begin from there, with transportation picking you up at the front door. By staying at the host hotel, your transportation requirements are cut to a minimum, allowing you to take a shuttle to and from Albuquerque Airport for just $38 round trip, and not needing a car the rest of the trip!
The Eldorado is located in the Historic Plaza District of Santa Fe, making dining, shopping, museums and art literally at your back doorstep.

Still not convinced you can do it? Pay it out in payments! Getting to Santa Fe is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
1. Register and pay for conference
2. Book & pay for hotel
3. Book & pay for transportation to Santa Fe

There’s no need to pay for everything at once. You have six months to get it all together! Consider booking & paying for one segment at a time, in the order listed above. Our Registration Chair, Sharon Bloom, is always available to help you add friends, activities, excursions and Post-Con workshops.
Need to make money for your trip? Consider presenting or selling your wares at encaustiCon! Presenters are paid per unit taught so you may choose how much or how little you’d like to teach vs. attend. Our membership is chock full of great teachers and we’d love to showcase you and your work! We hope to hear from you soon while we still have spaces left!

Whether through the Networking Expo or one of our Vendor Plans, if you have books, kits, art, tools, etc. to sell, consider selling them while you’re here. The Networking Expo is available through the registration process and the Vendor Plans will be available on www.encausticon.com within the next 30 days.

Santa Fe is a destination city with endless possibilities of things to do and see for artists, lovers and adventurers alike. Why not make Santa Fe a vacation for you and your loved ones?

· Bring your spouse- We have a ‘Mate Rate’ that will be available after May 15th, specially designed to give you and your mate just the right amount of ‘togetherness’. Have them with you all day, every day, or send them out on excursions while you work your art magic. You decide.

· Bring your friends- Round up your artist buddies of all media and bring them to eC13 to dive into encaustic art! We have an entire skill path dedicated to those new to the waxy world of encaustic art. A special offer ( giving yet another way to help pay for your trip) for those who register new eC13 attendees is coming soon!
· Bring your pet - The Eldorado Hotel & Spa is pet-friendly. Their courteous staff goes above and beyond, treating your pet as an important guest to ensure an enjoyable stay. Indulge your pet with our impeccable pet-friendly amenities, and ask our concierge about the best local dog parks or walking routes, pet sitters, and pet-friendly establishments.

Make it happen for yourself. We, the planners, know that this trip is a stretch for many of our our members but feel strongly that Santa Fe is a place that every artist must experience at least once. As IEA is a 501c3 Non-Profit Association, this is your money that we are spending, literally. We promise to be good stewards of those funds and have negotiated every discount we can find to make this trip affordable and unforgettable for you. If you’re going to travel to one IEA conference, this is the one. encaustiCon 2013 will enrich your life and open more doors for you than you can imagine.

I look forward to seeing ALL of you in Santa Fe!
Ann-Marie

Membership has its privileges! In 2013, we will have three different Encaustic Art Shows at encaustiCon®. Our members only show is open to IEA members attending encaustiCon 2013. Other added member benefits are FREE and GUARANTEED ENTRY to the show. We'll have more details available around submission time but this'll get you thinking about what you might like to enter.

This year, the Art In Rooms and Art Swap activities have merged to create the Members Only Art Show. Upon entry, you will be able to choose whether you'd like to show, swap, or sell your piece.

One work from each participant, best representing the entrant's artistic style, will be accepted. Works must be no larger than 13"x13"x13".

Artwork may be hand-delivered at Registration Check-In at the Eldorado Hotel or shipped ahead.

We're striving for 100% participation so the show will be a who's who of encaustiCon 2013's attendees. 

IEA's 2013 International Juried Show

Our gallery for IEA's 2013 International Juried Show is Eggman and Walrus, in the heart of Santa Fe. In walking distance of the hotel, this eclectic venue has a hip, fun vibe. You'll want to go back again and again during encaustiCon to view this amazing collection of art from the world's best Encaustic Artists! 

More information on the two jurors for our show coming soon.

Entries will be accepted through the CaFE website closer to the time of encaustiCon. A reminder call will go out to all registered attendees of encaustiCon 2013, keeping you up to date on all the conference activities.

IEA's 2013 International Juried Show will run for three weeks at Eggman and Walrus.

The gallery show opening will be Friday, November 1st, from 7:00-9:00pm at Eggman and Walrus. The opening will coincide with Santa Fe's Gallery Night. All of the museums will be open with free admission and the galleries will be open late. This is a well attended, monthly occurrence in Santa Fe and a wonderful time to host an amazing juried show. Start working on your entries. It's going to be a great show!

I love it when I get to combine my passion for encaustic with excellent education, beautiful travel destinations and of course, meeting up with supportive, fabulous artists.

Without a rambling expose on my encaustic chops, know that I began my exploration over 7 years ago, beginning with books published by encaustic idols, local classes and then designing studio in our home. My space has grown from 1 six foot table in the corner of a large room into a 300 square foot permanent, properly ventilated, perfectly stocked little piece of heaven.

Over the years, I have workshopped with the best and have slowly moved from a beginner to a bonafide intermediate encaustic artist. Of course, there is so much for me to learn and soak up from all of you future encaustiCon 2013 attendees, educators and vendors.

I know many different techniques and work pretty well with the wax, but I still haven't defined my own personal style, one that feels genuine and uniquely mine. This is a process I have enjoyed and know that improving my skills and learning new ones will bring me closer to my goals. One day, I will get juried into a show and have representation in a gallery. Making a living from my work would be the cherry on the cake.

The beauty of this conference is in the the way the demonstrations and workshops are programmed. It's easy to figure out which workshops I should take this year and which ones to look forward to taking once my skills and marketing to galleries improve. Especially great are the hands on workshops when it just me and a small group like students getting our hands on the wax while learning from notable teachers.

Path 2 will help me get to my personal goals and I will have a great time while doing so. I will sign up for career development workshops, panel discussions and make sure I spend lots of time watching demos. You know how it is, there is always something new and wonderful to learn.

Whether for the first, second or seventh time attending retreats or conferences, we are inspired by the dialogues, the artwork and the generous sharing of our different paths as artists.

My name is Lynne and I'm on a path, 2.

Our planning committee is busy at work to make encaustiCon® 2013 the best ever! One new feature we have for 2013 is three registration paths, based upon skill level and stage of artistic life. Enjoy a retreat-like atmosphere, learning in small groups with those in similar places in their artistic journey; all within our larger, exciting annual conference, encaustiCon®. No matter your skill level, there is a seat at the table for you. Each attendee may choose a path which best fits their own artistic needs. Which path sounds the most like you?

Path I Profile: I want to learn the basics, and some fancier tricks, in a very hands-on sort of way. I’d like to learn how to set up to work in encaustic in my home or other small space. I’m coming along with a friend and just want to play with wax and have fun. I’ve been trying encaustic on my own and would like an intensive study to jump start my art. This may be my first formal training experience in encaustic.
Path II Profile: I’ve been working in encaustic for a while and am looking for new hands-on experiences in advanced techniques. I may have my own studio where I am building a body of work. I may be interested in next-step instructions on things like how to get into shows and galleries and how to build a professional body of work. I may be an advanced hobbyist or considering moving toward a professional art career.
Path III Profile: I’m a professional encaustic artist. I have credentials such as a University degree or life experience equivalent. I may work full time painting and selling my art, I may be a full time encaustic art teacher. I have a website and/or other methods of marketing myself. I’m looking to meet with others like me to discuss issues related to professional artists. I have the credentials and experience to discuss with local gallery owners regarding representation and other art business related issues. I’d like to learn a new unique technique. I may like to teach and/or mentor those new to encaustic in our group while at encaustiCon®.

As we all begin making our art calendars for 2013, make sure to save the date for encaustiCon® in beautiful Santa Fe, NM, October 31-November 3rd. Registration opens soon!

Top 3 people you came to see:

1. Daniella Woolf
2. Gail Stavitsky
3. Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch

Top 3 Advertised Activites you came to see:

1. Workshops/Demos
2. Juried Show
3. Vendors

Top 3 Advertised reasons you came:

1. Location
2. Tips & Techniques
3. Advertised topics offered

Top 3 general reasons for coming:

1. Networking
2. To meet other encaustic artists
3. To learn

Top 3 favorite things:

1. Workshops/Demos
2. Networking
3. Socializing/talking with other artists

Top 3 Location Suggestions

1. Canada
2. Chicago
3. Carmel

Top 3 Great Ideas

1. Have open work stations during conference
2. Field trips/Gallery walk
3. Lively panel discussions

Top 3 Comments

1. What a friendly group of artists IEA is!
2. Loved the vendors- would like to see more of them!
3. Great job- can't wait till next year!

If you have any suggestions/comments regarding encaustiCon 2012 or 2013, please feel free to call on me anytime.  You may reach me via email at annmariebarker@rocktemail.com or via cell at 817-559-5612.  I'm here working for you to make encaustiCon 2013 a great success!

Ann-Marie

 RODNEY THOMPSON

 I recently returned from spending 3 weeks in a log cabin perched on the north rim of the Grand Canyon, courtesy of the National Park Artist in Residence program. I had a wonderful time exploring and immersing myself in the vast and majestic beauty of the canyon. I took hundreds of photos, most of them multiple shot panoramas stitched together in photoshop. While there I worked on hand colored photo transfers on layers of encaustic, recreating the depth of the landscape elements through the remarkable simulation of atmospheric perspective that encaustic can produce.
I am very excited to share my experiences at both the Grand Canyon and also Petrified Forest National Park where I was A.I.R in October 2011. I have compiled information about the many parks that offer artist in residence programs and will be sharing that at the conference.
Come learn how to find the perfect place to experience the wonders of nature as an artist in residence. There are fascinating opportunities and privileges available to you just because you are an artist!

Encaustic as a Medium

A Panel of Art Professionals and Their Experience with Wax

On Friday morning at 9:00 am we begin to delve into the conference theme, Encaustic as a Medium and a Modality with the personal experiences of five professional artists who somewhere along their careers met the seductive medium of wax.  We wanted to know from these men and women who were educated in traditional modalities--painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography--what happened to their work when they met wax.  We want to learn how and why they came to encaustic and why they stay.  We want to step into the future with them to learn where they hope to go in their art and how they see themselves pushing the boundaries of this medium.

We are excited that Phyllis Evans, Willow Bader, Daniella Woolf, Gina Adams and Douglas Mehrens will spend some time with all of us sharing with us their own story, their vision and their work through a personal conversation about the role of wax in their art.

Josie Rodriguez

The focus of my newest work is about memory, loved ones and comforting, which is not surprising since I have worked as a hospital and hospice pastoral counselor for twenty years. Although I have been retired for ten years, the stories and experiences from that intense work of counseling those who are dying and the loved ones they leave behind often find themselves in my art through color and imagery. 

I am honored to be going to the conference in San Antonio as a presenter and excited to share my year long project culminating in a solo show at San Diego International Airport. I hope to have a catalogue about the exhibition available for purchase. The show at the airport resulted in an invitation to exhibit my work  at San Luis Obispo Museum of Art in 2013.  I am represented by Front Porch Gallery in Carlsbad.  One of my encaustic works, Reflecting Light was most recently included in the book, 1000 Artists' Books.

Dwelling Place/ Encaustic cube/ 6"X6"

Johanna Gardner

I was born and raised in England, UK until I was age 11 when I moved to live in China. In 1990, I came to America to attend Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle, WA. In 2006, along with my (now two grown) sons and husband, I moved to Texas.

I was introduced to painting with wax when I went returned to Cornish in 2002 to finish my BFA. It was seven years until I met another encaustic artist. I went to my first "San Antonio Wax" meeting in 2009. I was so thankful to learn about all kinds of 'new-to-me' tools and techniques. However, in spite of all the new influences, I have stayed loyal to my encaustic paint brush, my household iron. My favorite style is abstract expressionism, and I'm constantly splitting my composition into rectangles and juxtaposing the two similar to the yin and yang symbol. My international travels, particularly Asia, probably contribute to my almost obsession for reds and gold’s.

As an e-business specialist and entrepreneur for the past 20+ years, I love blending my visual communication skills with technology. I'm constantly using my visual ability to help entrepreneurs successfully communicate their products and services online.

My art is featured throughout The Inn on the Riverwalk and often found in multiple exhibits both locally and nationally. I currently serve as the Vice President of the San Antonio Chapter of International Encaustic Artists Association, as well as the communications and vendor chair for EncaustiCon 2012 to be held in El Tropicano Hotel Sept. 6-9th in San Antonio, TX. I'm also a member of Inspire Arts Center, San Antonio, TX. faculty, where I teach Encaustic classes.

Kathryn Bevier

Like many artists, I was always drawn to making things, painting, drawing, and so forth at an early age, but as I grew older I realized that desire was at the very core of my nature. It never occurred to me that art wouldn’t be the first elective I signed up for in school and even when I went off to college for a degree in Biology, my extra curricula was art. Fortunately, I really listened to myself at around age 35 and ultimately went to a wonderful college dedicated solely to teaching art. At Lyme Academy College of Fine Art, I was immersed into a world I had only lightly explored before and came out of that experience with a sense of confidence in the knowledge of the many methods and materials used in the creative process. Now, many years later, I pour much of my time and talent into the managing of Enkaustikos. It has been a mutually beneficial experience. At times, it is hard to maintain a balance or know where work life stops and art life starts, since I need to create art for work all the time.

And so, when I paint for myself, I tend to paint faces. Number one, I don’t want the precious knowledge I learned in school to be lost and secondly, there is something about a face that serves as a reminder of simply being. I say faces and not portraits; these are not meant to have any elevated significance in the way a portrait might convey. My faces are purely meant to just be.

                                                       Naomi/ Encaustic on Panel/ 7"x7"                                 April/Encaustic on Panel/6"x6"

Michelle Belto

We have been each asked to help you get to know us by saying a little something about our current work, our life and a few little known facts about ourselves.  So...since I did the asking, it is only fair that I lead off with something about myself.

This has been a very busy year for me.  Since last Spring, a little over a year ago....

•  I have had four solo shows at four Texas locations with two different bodies of work with two different bodies of work...

  (far North Texas-far East Texas, Central Texas and far South Texas...that is a lot of hauling and hanging!)

•  I've written one book, Wax and Paper Workshop, Techniques for Combining Handmade Paper and Encaustic Paint now being printed by North Light Press and am starting on the second, Wax and Paper Workshop 3-D..
• I've continued teaching the Wax and Paper workshop and other encaustic workshops both locally and nationally....
• Chaired and helped create the IEA encaustiCon 2012.....
• Kept my day job.....
• ....And canned 94 quarts and 68 pints and 25 frozen packages (to date!) of peaches, pickles, relish (various kinds), tomato basil soup, vegetable soup, beans, okra, squash, peaches, tomatoes and pasta sauce!  My husband is a big gardener and twice a year for a month or so I go back to my "country" roots and become a pioneer woman.

So, if you are staying for the post conference workshops and come to the Bar-B-Que, you will most likely be tasting some of our home grown pickles with your meal and possibly some onions, broccoli or other garden goodies that will be ripe for picking.   

Reading over this post, I just made myself tired!

I'll rest up for your visit in September.

Post Conference Fun!

For all of you staying for post conference workshops we have some exciting events planned! These events will be open to teachers, post conference students and spouses.   If you didn't sign up for a post conference workshop when you registered for the conference, but would like to take advantage of these great learning experiences in the state of the art studios at Southwest School of Art, and all of the post conference festivities, you can sign up directly on the post conference workshop page.  Select a workshop you would like to attend and then click on the title. That will take you to a Pay Pal button where you can pay.  

On MONDAY we will carpool to the beautiful Texas Hill country about thirty minutes from the hotel to the home of Charles and Michelle Belto-Schraub.   Charlie will be cooking up some traditional Texas barbeque (and great veggie kabobs as well!).  The members of the encaustiCon 2012 steering committee will be on hand with all of the fixin's to make this an evening to remember.  This will be a time to relax after your first workshop day, put a piece of hay in your teeth and begin to learn how to talk with a Texas drawl!  This will be free to all post conference students and teachers.

On WEDNESDAY we will spend the evening on the River, starting with a scenic river tour where a guide points out the interesting history of San Antonio's earliest beginnings.  We will be let off at one of San Antonio's most famous restaurants to dine on some of the best Mexican food around. (Group river boat rates and meal on your own.)

On FRIDAY we will carpool a short distance from the hotel and take the trolley or walk the galleries and studios for the monthly Tobin Hill Art Walk.  Those that are able to stay on the week can catch a little of the local color, hob nob with regional artists and drink lots of cheap wine at multiple openings!

The post conference week is shaping up to be as much fun as the conference!  Don't miss these events.  Join us for learning and laughter at the post conference workshops.

Gina Adams

Gina Adams  is an MFA candidate at the University of Kansas and an award winning artist whose work takes a personal look at native history and world mythology. She has been on the faculty for R&F Paints since 2005 teaching at both the New York and satellite schools. Her new work involves layering wax on clay vessel forms replicating her Ojibwa heritage with its beadwork patterning. 

Gina has just been accepted to participate in the Santorini Biennale in Greece! They have selected her ceramics and miniature paintings for inclusion in this prestigious show. Congratulations, Gina!  We are excited to have you at the conference and are looking forward to learning from you.

At encaustiCon, Gina will be teaching an introduction workshop for R&F Paints and a hands-on workshop in multi-level pours. She will also be speaking at the Friday panel where she will show images of her work and explain the significance that the medium of wax has had on her work.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

ART EXCHANGE

"The Perfect 10!"

In the IEA conference tradition, there will be an art exchange at encaustiCon 2012.  We are calling it "The Perfect 10." All registrants can participate in this art show and exchange by bringing a 10"X10" art work with your interpretation of "A Perfect 10."   The art will be hung throughout the conference so that everyone can have a chance to enjoy the work at your leisure.  We will exchange art at the Sunday brunch in an exciting and lively way.   This is a good way to begin your art collection!Art

What you bring:  10"X 10" art work depicting your vision of "the perfect 10".

Where do you bring it:  We will take it from you at registration and hang it for you in the conference room.

How do I identify my work: Create your own name tag before you come (3" wide; 2" tall)  Attach the card at the lower left corner of your work so that it is visible when it is hung. Add the information on the card:

Title

Artist

Artist  Location (City/State/Country)

How will I find out about my exchange artist:  So that the person receiving the art will know something about you, attach a short bio, a brief statement about the work and your contact information to the BACK of the work

How will the exchange happen:  When you enter the room for the Sunday brunch and meeting, you will be able to draw a numbered "bee" from the hive.  The number will match a number on one of the art works that has been randomly numbered before breakfast.

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Did you know?

Our presenters are amazing!   In re-reading their resumes and biographies I have been impressed with the vast amount of experience and talent that will be coming to San Antonio in September.  Some of the presenters are, no doubt, familiar to you.  You have either been at a workshop where they presented or have a copy of their lastest book on your shelf.  In future blogs, we are going to highlight a presenter with some interesting facts you might not know and show some representative work.  I know you will like this feature, so stay tuned.....

Some Quick Facts:

• Of our twenty-two presenters, almost half (10) hold a BFA, MFA or higher art related degrees.
• 60% of the presenters teach encaustic at a national and international level
• 90% of the presenters have received awards for their work, grants, residencies or other related achievements in their art career
• Three are published authors by established publishing houses for their work in wax
• One third of the presenters are or have been on the art faculty of universities or well-know art centers.
• 100% have been juried into outstanding art shows 
• 90% have an impressive list of solo shows to their name

We know that you will go home much richer for having experienced the work and the expertise of these fine artists.

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IEA is honored to announce Gail Stavitsky, Chief Curator, Montclair Art Museum, Montclair, New Jersey as the keynote speaker for IEA encaustiCon 2012. Dr. Stavitsky is eminently qualified to speak to the conference theme, Exploring Encaustic Art as a Medium and a Modality. In the summer of 1999 she curated Waxing Poetic, Encaustic Art in America, a groundbreaking exhibition.  Waxing Poetic featured more than fifty artists whose content, style and subject matter differed widely but whose medium of choice was the same, WAX. This show, fully documented in an accompanying catalog, was the first introduction to encaustic for many gallery owners, reviewers and other artists.

In the thirteen years since this show there has been an explosion of information and research about the medium and artists working with it. Dr. Stavitsky’s perspective as an art curator and a scholar, with her own unique place in the history of this medium, will be the highlight of encaustiCon. The keynote speech will be presented with visuals at the Awards Banquet, September 8, 2012 in San Antonio. If you are registered for the conference, your seat is reserved. There will be a few remaining tickets for the banquet that are available for purchase on the website. Don’t miss this exciting event.