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.

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.