Variations on a Theme

A couple of weeks ago I posted a photo of my studio with my current progress and a painting by Edvard Munch that I have been enjoying lately - Self-Portrait with Burning Cigarette (1895). After that post, Norwegian artist Markus Brendmoe emailed me a few examples of his works that also ruminate on Munch's self portraits. I'm particularly fond of his recent work interpreting Munch's Self Portrait: Between Clock and Bed.

Edvard Munch, Self Portrait: Between Clock and Bed, 1941,
Oil on canvas 149.5 x 120.5 cm

Markus Brendmoe, Self Portrait: Between Clock and Bed, 2009

Jasper Johns has also done numerous variations on the patterning found on Munch's bed spread (from Self Portrait: Between Clock and Bed) including this print, made in 1976.

Edvard Munch, Self-Portrait with Burning Cigarette

1895; Oil on canvas, 110.5 x 85.5 cm - photo from the WebMuseum.

Markus Brendmoe, Self Portrait with Cigarette

Markus Brendmoe, Quiet, Acrylic on canvas, 80 x 100 inches, 2007

New Media Monday; Encaustic

Tony Scherman, "Grace Kelly" from the "Blue Highway" Series, 2001, encaustic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches.

Tony Scherman, "MM" from a series entitled "The Junkies" 2006
encaustic on canvas, 84" x 96"

There are many artists who use encaustic, which is a painting medium made up of pigments and hot wax. It has been used for over a thousand years - dating back to ancient Egypt. One of the better known modern artists to use encaustic is Jasper Johns. His well flag and target paintings from the 50s utilized collage and encaustic. I'm going to spotlight the work of Tony Scherman - a contemporary artist who uses encaustic for most of his work. Like many mediums, digital images of wax paintings never do them justice. In person, many encaustics have a depth and sheen that is difficult to place: more matte than oil, but more depth of color than most acrylic paintings. If you've never used encaustic, I would recommend trying it, though it is very difficult to master. A great place to start is with Joanen Mattera's book titled "The Art of Encaustic". As an artist who uses encaustic herself, Mattera interviews Scherman, Johns, and other artists and has specific instructions on how to best utilize the medium.

The Art of Encaustic Painting
Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax