From Here? - #14 Art Inspired by the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

From Here - 2010 - encaustic techniques on board - 10 x 8 inches

Encaustic Workshop techniques were never ending with this piece. This piece just seemed to never want me leave it alone, even now that it is completed. What more? What can I do? It needs something...! STOP picking at me, it laughs. 

From Here began with a paper mounted on the board, clear beeswax on it, then layers of beeswax colors, then tried to erase all of it, used carving tools, used the heat gun, smeared oil paint, repeat a million times. The clown fish (I am resisting to call it Nemo) appeared and demanded to stay exactly how you see it. 

Compositionally, the clown fish is NOT in the right place...but for me it seems to make the entire art piece work. Sharp, blurred, wide and thin lines carved into the wax just make the clown fish jump out for more than its color. The blues and whites invoke sea plants and fish to me and give your eyes a place to travel instead of out of the art piece. The clown fish seems to say "Where am I supposed to go from here?" because he is running out of space on the board. The sea plants and fish above seem to whisper "up here!"

Why is this piece part of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill series? As I was creating this, I keep thinking about where the sea life is to escape the oil and dispersants. As humans, we can move away on land or on sea, but sea life is limited to the oceans that suit them.

What do you think of From Here? Does it work for you? Where do your eyes travel on it? Your comments can help me decide if this is finally finished, or to keep working it. Thanks in advance!

Angeline Marie of

Angeline Marie Fine Art