IEA Retreat 2009

Last week was the 4th Annual International Encaustic Artist Retreat and Conference 2009. It was held in beautiful Carmel Valley. This was my second retreat with the group. There were about 70 artists that attended the retreat this year and growing every year. The retreat started on Thursday with everyone from out of town, traveling, and getting cozy. I was in the middle of wrapping up and photographing my work for a show in San Fransisco. Friday and Saturday were jam packed with information, lectures, discussions, note taking, networking, and eating. I truly enjoy being a part of the IEA for a variety of reasons one being the interaction and education I receive. Our lectures were Andrea Schwartz, Tom Burns, Tony Scherman: keynote lecture, Fresh Paint Art Advisors, Richard Frumess, and Pamela Blum. There was a panel discussion set up with all the guest lectures as well which is wonderful. I enjoy the vast range of perspectives and ideas that everyone brings to the table and is willing to discuss.

This retreat was different from last years. I am also different than last year. This year I am a full time painter so I noticed myself paying attention to different ideas and thoughts than I did last year. This years retreat gave me a large goodie bag that I will be able to pick and pull from for the rest of the year in relation to my professional career as a painter in 2009 and beyond. IEA has such a welcoming spirit and is a wonderful group to network with and even find friends who are just as much a wax brain as you are, or, I guess, as I am. :)

Take a look at the photographs I took during the retreat. To check out the official IEA retreat blog go here :: http://iea2009retreat.blogspot.com/

Here we go, I hope you are ready, because it is time to check in with Wendy and Judy, get your name tag from Chris and start the wax extravaganza. Ye-Haw! Let's Go!





One thing has remained the same, no matter where you walk and who you talk to, it is always fair game to discuss art, technique, composition, color palettes and heck, if you don't want to talk about that, then walk five feet run into someone else, and talk about something else. The IEA group is diverse with subject matter, life experiences and working in the 'art world' there is never a shortage of topics to discuss and laughter to be had.

Chris Paschke gave a lecture on the importance of framing, thinking about your projects before wax, and mounting your work.

Our first guest lecturer was Andrea Schwartz, from San Fransisco. Extremely informative on her gallery and working with artist.


Onward to lunch... Margaret Berry and Melinda Fellini...I met these lovelies last year, I saw Margaret a few months ago in NE. It is great to catch up and listen to the new projects everyone is on.



Up next is Tom Burns.


Tony Scherman: keynote lecture. Great work, interesting story.




With a full day of discussion and note taking it was time to release some energy...PROJECT!


The soldiers that were left standing took place in the annual...umm....make cool shit on a person from random things event. Always a hit!



Well, we all had lots of laughs tearing up t shirts and making them into something different working with people you just met and getting creative. After that the remaining troops sat for one cup of tea before we were all on our way to dream land thinking of everything that was discussed.



Well, on to a new day. Fresh Paint was giving a lecture on who they are, what they do, and opened the floor for discussion with all artists who have worked in a commercial, private, and public settings with their art. I found this discussion to be extremely helpful. Fresh Paints works with about 300 artists from all over the world and in a variety of works, from prints, paintings and murals.


The events from after this start to get blurry, I'm sure it was time to eat and break for a little as my notebook was filling up and my ears started to ooze wax it was time for a family portrait. Documentation is key, "I'm ready for my close up Mr. Deville."

everyone say beeswax.

OK, lets keep it rollin...Hey...did you get your cookie? Cause I did, and well, I did grab three of them, cause that chocolate cake at lunch just was not enough. Sugar check, pen check, notebook check, water check, now for my favorite part. The Panel Discussion! This Panel Discussion was very diverse and extremely educated which allowed for a highly intellectual discussion on multiple avenues that encompasses this thing called, professional painter/artist in the now.


After the discussion I found myself with a group of giggling, story telling artist...that NEVER gets old, I love story telling, it runs in my boisterous family.









Dinner was devoured and it was time for the ever exciting painting exchange. Different rules this year, which was wise since there were so many artists in attendance. So here we go ...'to the theeeeeeeeater' which just so happens to be prepped are ready to roll for demos and play tomorrow.



Here are all the good little artists sitting so patiently waiting for the basket to come around so that they can place their creative hard working hand in a swirl of paper and pick a number for the exchange. O how i LOVE the painting exchange! I gave one of my sweet Asilomar series. I was and AM one happy little painter, I picked a Judith Williams! It was her blues painters tape that so nice wrapped around the wax paper covered painting. I love painters tape, i think just for the name. The painting is title 'By the Sea' which is so fitting. Thanks Judith!




Wendy, Judy, and Cari open their new collections. After everyone opened up, it was time for a little show and tell. We brought all the paintings back to the hang out and showed them off. This was a great time to talk about the art, process and ideas behind your own work and those that sparked you.

The last day was quite fun but always bummer knowing your little clan of waxy professionals have their suitcases packed and thier boarding passes ready. We started the day with Pamela Blum...WONDERFUL work... she sparks a side of me that has been itching for a few months now. O yes, dare this painter say, lets bring on the 3-D. Im ready for another dimension in all avenues of my life. After Pamela's lecture the floor was open for...painting, exploring, and learning. O Pamela had this very rad torch clip, I will have to invest in one, it is very handy and super sexy I might add.








After Pamela's talk the creatives were set loose to work with wax. We regrouped and then members gave demos as one of the last events of the retreat.

Linda Womack, working with Schellec.

Mari Marks, Berkeley painter

Kimberly Kent, Oregon showing Plein Air Encaustic Painting. Rad.

With the last demos, the food was devoured and time for the meeting to wrap up and discuss our future. Then off to the airports, beaches, or in Nikki May's case, off to the big city of SF.





Well goodbye, goodbye! It was wonderful to meet you, break bread with you, share laughter with you and talk art. I will see you on the internet...lets be friends on facebook...until then!