Cold Wax Medium

Recently I attended Astrid Tuttle's opening at the Shenandoah Valley Art Center in Waynesboro, VA. She has been working with Dorland Cold Wax Medium and oils the last couple of years. Her exhibition is a testament to the vibrant effect wax medium can have on oils.

Because I can't pass up an opportunity to try a new medium and do more work in oils, I had to give it a go. Using a familiar image I recently painted in pastels, eliminating the angst of starting a new image, I'm recreating it and focusing only on the new medium's behavior.  I have to say I'm really excited about my first exposure to cold wax. The wax seems to "dry up" the oils, making them less viscous--a big negative for me and why I prefer soft pastels. Using a 1:3 ratio wax to oils, no other medium, drying time is nearly cut in half.

Variation on Intersection #5  12" x  12"  oil and wax

As an aside, I enjoy looking at shadows in paintings when the source of the shadows is outside of frame. The enjoyment is in the imagining of the thing unseen. Here is the original image referenced above. 

Intersection #5 small mixed media w/ soft pastel SOLD