Dawn-Starr Crowther (Day 2)

During Open Studios, I will be demonstrating multiple media over the three days including: encaustic (pigment-infused molten wax fused with a torch), monotype printing with Gelli plates and found objects, Cyanotype printing (a non-silver photographic process using the sun) and bookmaking/binding. On display and for sale are mixed media paintings, collage-based works, encaustic works, hand-made books, and photographic works.

About the Process

I work in multiple media, always prompted by the question "What persists?" I'm a magpie--I love to collect the discarded, worn out, overlooked and ephemeral remnants of human activity. Old papers, photographs, faded & worn fabric, stones and plastic bits washed smooth by seawater, dried pods and seeds or bits of rusty metal, all are sources of inspiration, and often are incorporated into my mixed media pieces. These remnants of human behaviors form the path of investigation, query and reflection. I'm also deeply influenced by my decades as a meditation practitioner/teacher. I like open spaces: places where thought can wander, and finally, come to rest in the quiet spaciousness of being. A favorite medium is Encaustic--a medium demanding complete attention—hot wax and palettes, flames and heat guns ensure that I am sharp and focused, yet relaxed. Watching the colors glisten, run, and then harden as they cool is fascinating. Scraping back wax to reveal lower layers reveals hidden jewels of color and texture. And the very physical act of inscribing, rasping or scratching the surface carries a calculated risk—one wayward slip and the entire painting can be ruined. I'm now experimenting printmaking using encaustic collotypes. A new passion is working with Gelli plates, making monotypes that frequently carry the impressions of found objects. These are incorporated into mixed media pieces, or as works that stand alone. I like that I don't know what the print will be until it is pulled off the plate. I love processes where the outcome isn't guaranteed and is a dance with materials--asking what they want to be, and learning how to cooperate with that. Inspired by living among my Saguaro neighbors in the Tucson Mountains, my newest series contemplates the internal life of these magnificent beings and how they might experience their lives.