WAX + PAPER with Michelle Belto

My new studio opened its doors to the public last year, a week before Thanksgiving. Perfect timing, don't you think? My opening was very successful, selling several paintings as well as prints from my works. I then started using my studio, but since now I have such a big space I felt the need to share it with others.

Therefor, last January, I started teaching there, and though slowly, my classes have started to pick up. But even though I had just started teaching in this new space, I took the risk of inviting a professional artist/instructor from out of state, into my space to bring her knowledge to our neck of the woods!

At first I was a little worried, and thought I wasn't going to be able to fill up her class... I guess nothing moves me more than a challenge, and thank goodness my efforts paid off. As last April, Texas artist Michelle Belto visited my studio to teach her three days PAPER + WAX workshop. We had students that came as far as Canada, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, along with our Connecticut neighbors. My studio was filled with laughter and eagerness to learn, just look at the pictures from the workshop below and see everyone's smiling faces!

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." Helen Keller

Michelle demonstrating the class how to beat the
mixture of Cotton and Abaca Pulp

For technical information about the paper-making process and where to buy your pulp from, read my post From Pulp to Painting all the way to Dallas! 

Everyone eager to start, listening to Michelle's instructions
right before going outside to get our hands wet!

Michelle demonstrates how to pour the pulp into the mold and deckle to make our papers...

Now our turn...

The whole group having fun outdoors,
making hand-made paper!!

We were blessed with such a great weather all three days!!!

Everyone brought something to share for
our pot-luck lunches.
What a treat!

Time to put our hand-made papers into the press,
to squeeze the water out!

Making sure the press is very tight.

Pulp painting demonstration...

Back at the studio, on the next day, our papers are now dried, time to start painting on them! We were introduced to a variety of media and techniques to create paintings on our newly made papers...

Another alternative to wrapping the paper around foam core,
is just dipping the paper directly into the encaustic medium

Hands on everyone working hard!

 Torch and Shellac demonstration...

Some really loved the used of the torch!!

Michelle finished by showing us how to carefully pack our artworks for shipping...

We wrapped up the workshop with discussion and critique.

You can pre-order Michelle Belto's book, Wax and Paper Workshop: Techniques for Combining Encaustic Paint and Handmade Paper from Amazon.com at a special price.


If interested in joining us at future workshops from Visiting Artists, just click on the tab above, or HERE