divas & iron chefs

(show postcard), lorraine glessner, 2007, nexus series of 20 panels, 12x12 each panel, reni gower, divot, 2006, encaustic, collage on panel, 15 x 18½, timothy mcdowell, hidden valley, 2008, pigment on beeswax on panel, 36x44, peter dykhuis, may 7 22:55Z (YHZ Series #1), 1999, encaustic, enamel on 6 panels, 36 x 36, kristy deetz, song of sorrow, oil and encaustic on wood, 40x66x2, joanne mattera, ciel rouge, encaustic on four panels, 48x67, 2006, cheryl goldsleger, reveal, 2006, wax, oil, pigment, wood on linen, 40 x 40, heather harvey, i've seen where the rest of me is going, wax, plaster, spackling, fiberglass, gouache, 12.5x11.5x6.5, 2008, jeffrey hirst, water, land and sky, encaustic, collage on panel

i'm part of a group called the divas and iron chefs of encaustic and as you've guessed, we're all artists who work in the medium of encaustic. the group was organized by reni gower, a professor in the painting and printmaking department at vcu. we originally met as a group at secac where we spoke on a panel, completed a workshop and had an exhibition. since then, we've done panels, workshops and exhibitions at caa and six other venues. i've really grown to enjoy my little encaustic family and look forward to our next meeting together. although we won't be getting together for this show, reni will be giving a talk at the stanier gallery at washington and lee university on april 22 at 6 pm and the show runs from april 20-may 15.

members of the group are me, kristy deetz, peter dykhuis, cheryl goldsleger, reni gower, heather harvey, jeffrey hirst, timothy mcdowell. joanne mattera and richard furness of r&f paints have joined us on panels.