Many Voices–One Journey May 7-29

Working With Wax Group on Display in May at Village Gallery

This month we are bringing you a group of artists called the Working With Wax Group that was founded and led by encaustic painting expert Kathryn Bevier in 2015.   An alliance of Western New York artists who work with media based in beeswax as their primary studio practice. Participants share ideas, best practices, and seek guidance from one another as they explore the medium of beeswax. Because of the pandemic, artists have not been able to gather in person for more than a year. 
 
The exhibit’s title is a nod to the artists’ response to the creative challenges of separation. Kathryn Bevier commented, “Throughout this extended time of isolation, members continued to work in the safe haven of their own studios. This exhibit is evidence of each artist’s commitment to developing their skills and ideas in a time of solitude. At last, we are coming together to reconnect our artistic voices through our shared journey of expression in wax media.” 
 
In this exhibit, artists present paintings and sculptural works created with “hot” and “cold” beeswax; both forms appeal to artists because of their versatility and potential to develop rich layers, multimedia, collage, and elegant—often mysterious—surfaces. With wax, process and product are mutually intriguing to artists and viewers. 
 
Hot wax is encaustic paint made of beeswax, pigment, and resin hardened into a solid form. Artists melt the paint on a heated work surface and paint with it in a molten state to develop layers, and textures. 
 
Cold wax is a colorless oil painting medium made of beeswax, solvent, and resin with the consistency of vegetable shortening. Artists mix cold wax medium with oil paint to develop paintings with transparent layers, textures, and inventive surfaces. Painters and printmakers who work with cold wax share an interest in working intuitively and experimenting with the physicality of the paint. 

We hope you will visit the gallery during our regular hours Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10-4pm. 
Opening day, on May 7, we will extend our hours until 8pm.
Masks and social distancing will still be observed.

The Village Gallery
3119 Main Street
Caledonia, NY 14423