Artists Explore Varying Encaustic Painting Techniques at The Rye Arts Center
]This winter, The Rye Arts Center will highlight the versatility of an artistic medium that has been explored since Ancient Greece. Encaustic painting is an adaptable technique in which the artist heats a mixture of beeswax, resin and pigments. In Some Like It Hot, on view from January 13 through February 17, the Center will exhibit more than 15 contemporary artists who explore this practice in different ways. For instance, Dietlind Vander Schaaf etches patterns into the surface of colored panels to create works that evoke calmness, centering the viewer in the present moment; Laura Moriarty creates “sculptural paintings” of layered wax, which she then slices to reveal intricate patterns of color; Leslie Guiliani cuts and machine-sews encaustic-dipped fabric that blend with her other textile practices; and Katherine Dufault, who also curated the exhibition, uses encaustic as paint with which she creates layered landscapes.
Visitors’ first opportunity to view this work will be during the Center’s Free Arts Day event on January 13. The event provides an afternoon of family-friendly arts activities such as ceramics, 3D printing and more. An opening reception will take place on January 20, at which visitors can explore the works and meet many of the exhibiting artists. For more info, visit ryeartscenter.org.
A version of this article first appeared in the December-January issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNews is distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.
About ArtsWestchester
For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest private not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to create an equitable, inclusive, vibrant and sustainable Westchester County in which the arts are integral to and integrated into every facet of life. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue. artsw.org
