painting
Newer paintings...from October
Thursday/January 21/2016
Here are some images of the latest paintings I made, although they are from October. I’m currently on an extended sabbatical from painting, as I work on some new projects. These paintings incorporate hummingbirds, which are sacred birds in many Native American cultures. Often the birds symbolize prayer, the spirits of those that are deceased, or specifically God’s presence. I’ve also expanded to using gold leaf in two of these.
“The Prayers of the People”
“Hummingbird”
“Rocky Mountain National Park”
**This painting is currently missing! Sad story: I mailed it for a show in Houston in November and it never arrived. Right after I mailed it, I was in a bad car accident and lost the tracking ticket that had been in my car. This painting is still missing.
“The Prayers of the People”
“Hummingbird”
“Rocky Mountain National Park”
**This painting is currently missing! Sad story: I mailed it for a show in Houston in November and it never arrived. Right after I mailed it, I was in a bad car accident and lost the tracking ticket that had been in my car. This painting is still missing.
Comments
A new series "States"
Sunday/October 11/2015
UPDATE to this post: Just finished the new painting for Colorado. This is from a photo taken in Breckenridge this summer.
__________________________________________________________________________
Recently I have been pondering what elements tie all of my paintings together, besides the obvious subject, nature. The answer is LOCATION.
It’s no secret that I have traveled a lot and I have lived in four different states within the USA. The places that I have lived were very different from each other, but they have all held places that came to have great meaning.
With that thought in mind, I have started a new series on “states.” I don’t know if I will be able to complete all 50, as there are still a few states I have yet to visit and I DO NOT paint anything that doesn’t originally stem from my own photograph or experience. I have completed four thus far:
1. IOWA
I’ve done so many paintings now on my home state. This is from an image I took through the window of Amtrak this past December. I’m not sure exactly where it is, or where the roads lead, but it feels cold and lonely.
2. ARIZONA
Over a year ago, my family and I went on a day trip to Arizona and visited the Navajo reservation. We were fortunate enough to see the Veteran’s Cemetery in Fort Defiance. The colors in the land, the way the plots were decorated, and the fact that my father is also a veteran, made this a very moving place for us.
3. NEBRASKA
I think Nebraska gets a bad wrap. When I hear people talk about it, it is usually within context of “I had to drive through Nebraska to get to...” Yes, I was driving through on a brisk fall day this past fall, but I think the colors in the encaustic wax captured the beauty in that particular day.
4. NEW MEXICO
I lived in New Mexico for six years and during that time I took a memorable day trip to Chimayo. Chimayo is just north of Santa Fe, a small village located on soil that is considered Holy. During the year people from around the world visit the churches here, and it is a sacred place during Holy Week. This is a wall along an area where people line up during Holy Week, and continue onward toward the churches. It is a beautiful and unique place.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More will be coming SOON! I would love to know your thoughts on this particular series. Do you have you have any ideas of special locations in your state? What is unique or has a special story? I would love to hear your thoughts!
__________________________________________________________________________
Recently I have been pondering what elements tie all of my paintings together, besides the obvious subject, nature. The answer is LOCATION.
It’s no secret that I have traveled a lot and I have lived in four different states within the USA. The places that I have lived were very different from each other, but they have all held places that came to have great meaning.
With that thought in mind, I have started a new series on “states.” I don’t know if I will be able to complete all 50, as there are still a few states I have yet to visit and I DO NOT paint anything that doesn’t originally stem from my own photograph or experience. I have completed four thus far:
1. IOWA
I’ve done so many paintings now on my home state. This is from an image I took through the window of Amtrak this past December. I’m not sure exactly where it is, or where the roads lead, but it feels cold and lonely.
2. ARIZONA
Over a year ago, my family and I went on a day trip to Arizona and visited the Navajo reservation. We were fortunate enough to see the Veteran’s Cemetery in Fort Defiance. The colors in the land, the way the plots were decorated, and the fact that my father is also a veteran, made this a very moving place for us.
3. NEBRASKA
I think Nebraska gets a bad wrap. When I hear people talk about it, it is usually within context of “I had to drive through Nebraska to get to...” Yes, I was driving through on a brisk fall day this past fall, but I think the colors in the encaustic wax captured the beauty in that particular day.
4. NEW MEXICO
I lived in New Mexico for six years and during that time I took a memorable day trip to Chimayo. Chimayo is just north of Santa Fe, a small village located on soil that is considered Holy. During the year people from around the world visit the churches here, and it is a sacred place during Holy Week. This is a wall along an area where people line up during Holy Week, and continue onward toward the churches. It is a beautiful and unique place.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More will be coming SOON! I would love to know your thoughts on this particular series. Do you have you have any ideas of special locations in your state? What is unique or has a special story? I would love to hear your thoughts!
First finished painting of 2015
Sunday/January 18/2015
New Show in Denver!
Wednesday/January 14/2015
Happy New Year! To get 2015 started, I hung some of my paintings including new encaustics at The Whittier Cafe! For their address and information check out their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/whittiercafe. Stop by and get some coffee! The show will be up until the end of January.
NEW! Buy prints of my work!
Saturday/November 08/2014
For a long time now, I have been asked if I will ever make prints available of my work to purchase. I’m now excited to announce that my paintings are available through Society 6! You can simply choose what image you would like to buy and it will be shipped directly to you!
Visit this link today: http://society6.com/dawnwheat
New items in my store!
Friday/June 27/2014
A New Landscape
Friday/June 27/2014
I’m getting ready to move to Colorado, and therefore finishing up some of the last paintings that I will do during my time in New Mexico. Here is a little landscape that I finished last night.
New Painting Labels!
Saturday/June 14/2014
One of the difficult things with making paintings is how to keep track of all of the information with each piece (dimensions, medium, etc). For me and the customer, I am introducing new, professional-looking labels on the back of all of my paintings. Perfect for the collector that wants all of the information on each piece including my signature, year and contact information. What do you think?
Thursday/May 08/2014
Follow me on Instagram — http://instagram.com/delizwheat !! I’m using this specifically to upload in-progress pieces & works as soon as they are finished (the wax isn’t even cool yet)!
“Trees by a Pond” 12 x 12 inches, Encaustic and Pencil on Ampersand Encaustic Board
“Trees by a Pond” 12 x 12 inches, Encaustic and Pencil on Ampersand Encaustic Board
Ampersand Art Supply!
Wednesday/April 16/2014
Once again, Ampersand has chosen my work to be featured on their signage! I owe a huge debt of gratitude to this Austin-based company.
Several years back after a move, I realized that several of my canvas’ were damaged. I was searching for a new material for my paintings and at first, I tried buying pieces of wood and priming it myself. While this worked pretty well and I liked painting on wood, it was so hard to frame!
Then, I discovered Ampersand’s panels that come in a variety of sizes. They are easy to frame, already primed, and made of quality of materials. I only use Ampersand’s art panels now when making my paintings. Check out all of their supplies at www.ampersandart.com.
Art Raffle + Ruby Garden Dreams with T.S. Poetry Press
Thursday/April 10/2014
A few weeks ago I mailed this painting as a donation to the International Arts Movement’s Art Raffle + Ruby Garden Dreams with T.S. Poetry Press.
Artists around the globe participated and all of the work can be purchased on-line. All funds support the International Art Movement and their programs. To see what works are available visit: http://www.internationalartsmovement.org/art-auction-catalogue-2014/
My studio
Thursday/April 10/2014
Waiting
Saturday/March 08/2014
I put the final touches on this one this past week. This is also oil and encaustic on a Ampersand board and the title is “Waiting”. The image is based on a photograph that I took over two years ago in Albuquerque’s Old Town on Christmas Eve. I started this painting in November and I have been working on it off and on.
Encaustic & Oil
Saturday/March 08/2014
Working on another new piece this morning. Encaustic and oil on Ampersand’s Encaustic Board, 12 x 12 inches. I feel like I am getting closer to bringing these mediums together into a integrated, finished piece.
Experimenting
Tuesday/March 04/2014
Before I spend the time to do a large painting, I will do small paintings to work out an idea or method.
Last month I have been expanding my repertoire of media to include scrap-booking paper. Being a non-scrap-booker (is that a word?) I had never paid attention to the array of papers that can be bought, until now. The above painting was created with laying down a coat of Encaustic medium to Ampersand Encaustic Board, then attaching a piece of paper. Using alternate layers of encaustic wax and oil, I created this little landscape of New Mexico (above).
The painting above was created in a similar way, but instead I used markers and washes of oil.
The same with this one...letting the paper show through the transparency of oil and wax.
For this one I used a photograph that was taken by Michael Anaya-Gorman.
Last month I have been expanding my repertoire of media to include scrap-booking paper. Being a non-scrap-booker (is that a word?) I had never paid attention to the array of papers that can be bought, until now. The above painting was created with laying down a coat of Encaustic medium to Ampersand Encaustic Board, then attaching a piece of paper. Using alternate layers of encaustic wax and oil, I created this little landscape of New Mexico (above).
The painting above was created in a similar way, but instead I used markers and washes of oil.
The same with this one...letting the paper show through the transparency of oil and wax.
For this one I used a photograph that was taken by Michael Anaya-Gorman.
New series coming
Sunday/February 23/2014
I’m busy these days in the studio working on a new series. I’m waiting to upload everything until I am close to completion, so it may be a few months from now. I’m pretty excited - multi-media, encaustic, and a return to oils after a ten year hiatus!
Fall is here!
Tuesday/November 05/2013
Fall is now upon us! The clocks have fallen back and the weather forecast is predicting snow. It’s time to come out of my denial that summer can end.
If you have spent anytime in New Mexico, you may know that the seasons gradually change. The sky remains blue most days and the temperatures will drop at night. Leaves change to different hues, but the degree in which you notice this depends on where you live. In the mountains, yes, but not as much in the desert areas, or even on some main streets that have more advertising, than trees.
The slow-changing southwestern autumn is contrasted to my memories of the Midwest. I remember wet Halloweens gone by, where my feet sloshed through damp leaves and frost, and I breathed heavy, cold air. The scent of burning firewood wafted through the air and the tips of my fingers turned red.
I have learned that what you gain by living in a new location is not limited to knowledge of that new place, but also a deepened understanding of the old. There are details that linger in my conscious now more vividly than they were initially experienced. For example, after being in New Mexico for almost a year, I flew home to Iowa. I had become accustomed to a mint-green and brown landscape by that time, but when I got off the plane, I was suddenly acutely aware that the color of green was radiant. It actually seemed florescent.
My last Christmas Eve while I was still living in the Midwest, I was trapped temporarily by snow at my friend’s home. Miles away my family prepared to gather for a traditional celebration. Finally, in a bit of desperation, the neighbor hooked up his tractor to my car and we put it in neutral. Later, a friend teased me that this was “sorta like a sleigh ride.” I remember being exhausted when I finally joined my family. Snow slows us down. More than that, it is stressful, inconvenient, and sometimes, makes us change our plans. I have only experienced one snowfall that really caused me to slow down in New Mexico. Most of the time, the sky has been blue and the roads clear.
The last few years I have started to understand the visual beauty in the bleakness of winter and that is a subject matter that drives me. As a painter, there is the initial challenge to find colors reflected in white, gray and black. A student artist is told to train their eye to see like an artist and they are taught that a single blade of grass may contain blue, yellow and red. The simplicity of winter begs us to slow down, take note, and contemplate.
So, fall is here. I have a lot of things planned and one of them is to begin work on a new series of paintings. The last few months I have been deep in studying drawing and design techniques, reviewing information that I was taught in high school and expanding my knowledge of software. Now, it’s time to make something new.
Coming soon...
If you have spent anytime in New Mexico, you may know that the seasons gradually change. The sky remains blue most days and the temperatures will drop at night. Leaves change to different hues, but the degree in which you notice this depends on where you live. In the mountains, yes, but not as much in the desert areas, or even on some main streets that have more advertising, than trees.
The slow-changing southwestern autumn is contrasted to my memories of the Midwest. I remember wet Halloweens gone by, where my feet sloshed through damp leaves and frost, and I breathed heavy, cold air. The scent of burning firewood wafted through the air and the tips of my fingers turned red.
I have learned that what you gain by living in a new location is not limited to knowledge of that new place, but also a deepened understanding of the old. There are details that linger in my conscious now more vividly than they were initially experienced. For example, after being in New Mexico for almost a year, I flew home to Iowa. I had become accustomed to a mint-green and brown landscape by that time, but when I got off the plane, I was suddenly acutely aware that the color of green was radiant. It actually seemed florescent.
My last Christmas Eve while I was still living in the Midwest, I was trapped temporarily by snow at my friend’s home. Miles away my family prepared to gather for a traditional celebration. Finally, in a bit of desperation, the neighbor hooked up his tractor to my car and we put it in neutral. Later, a friend teased me that this was “sorta like a sleigh ride.” I remember being exhausted when I finally joined my family. Snow slows us down. More than that, it is stressful, inconvenient, and sometimes, makes us change our plans. I have only experienced one snowfall that really caused me to slow down in New Mexico. Most of the time, the sky has been blue and the roads clear.
The last few years I have started to understand the visual beauty in the bleakness of winter and that is a subject matter that drives me. As a painter, there is the initial challenge to find colors reflected in white, gray and black. A student artist is told to train their eye to see like an artist and they are taught that a single blade of grass may contain blue, yellow and red. The simplicity of winter begs us to slow down, take note, and contemplate.
So, fall is here. I have a lot of things planned and one of them is to begin work on a new series of paintings. The last few months I have been deep in studying drawing and design techniques, reviewing information that I was taught in high school and expanding my knowledge of software. Now, it’s time to make something new.
Coming soon...