An Exploration of Cold Wax

About the class:

Painting with Cold Wax Medium is a popular artistic expression all over the world. In this class, you will explore the basic principles of using cold wax through instructor led demonstrations, individual guidance, and exploration of individual pieces. The techniques are fun, creative, and only limited by your imagination. We will explore the process of building layers using printmaking methods, mark making, and adding textures. What is added and hidden under layers will be uncovered by reduction including scraping, scratching, gouging and use of solvents. There are no mistakes in this class, only results that are yet to be discovered. You will leave with basic knowledge of the cold wax medium, a finished painting, and some works in progress.

A variety of tools, substrates, and materials will be used along with my favorite methods to achieve fantastic results. We will play with materials such as oils, powder pigments, wax crayon, oil pastels, pigment sticks, metallic leaf, and much more. Tools will consist of brayers, palette knives, brushes, tissue paper, wax paper, skewers, scrapers, silicone scrapers or shapers, hand brooms clay shaping tools and other favorites. For beginners and above.

About the instructor:

Rick Ross: Reflection of who I am as an artist keeps bringing me back to one word, evolution. I have always loved art – I drew and painted as a child, and as I got older, the transition into adulthood left me little time for creative expression. In my 30s, another major transition into parenthood gave me the unexpected inspiration to return to art. Spending time with my sons and seeing the world through their eyes, moved me to pick up the paint brush again and express color with renewed wonder for the world around me. Nature is my subject matter, whether literally interpreted through landscapes and still life or abstractly represented by the textures and depth of oil and cold wax medium. Like the evolution of my life experiences, I love to explore and imagine the journey of objects and am inspired by history, age, and patina.

I am a member of several Artist Organizations including: River Arts Inc.,The Wisconsin Alliance Of Artist and Craftspeople, Wisconsin Visual Artists, and Mount Horeb Area Arts Association. I have my work represented full time by The River Arts Gallery and The Paoli Mercantile. Along with this I have been a guest artist displayed in numerous galleries and exhibitions, and participated in local art fairs for numerous years. Over the years I have demonstrated and talked about my work and the techniques I use to create with Cold Wax. After several inquiries, and a little encouragement from a few people, I have added teaching classes to my list of artistic endeavors.

Required materials:

1 Cold Wax Medium (small container 16 oz.)

1 or more rubber brayer

• Ranger Inky Roller Brayer, Small 2-1/4-Inch
• Speedball Deluxe Soft Rubber Brayer, 4-Inch
• Soft Brayers from Cold Wax Academy

1 Silicone Bowl Scraper

• Messermeister
• Zoie + Chloe
• Squeegee from Cold Wax Academy

1 Small Bottle Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits

1 Arches Oil Paper Pad (9x12)

1 or more hardwood panels (several choices, must be primed by manufacturer or with gesso), 16x20 or smaller is easier to manage for class purposes

• Ampersand (Gessobord, Claybord, Hardbord, Encausticbord)
• DaVinci Panels
• American Easel
• Blick Studio or Premier

Palette knife (for mixing and applying paint) any brand

Portable Palette (wood, plastic, glass, disposable paper or roll of waxed paper) ● 1 roll of painters tape

Vinyl or latex gloves or barrier hand cream

Along with these items you will need to bring artist grade oil paints (Gamblin Windsor & Newton, Williamsburg, Grumbacher, etc.) A variety of colors with a mix of opaque and transparent. You will not need all of the colors below, but a mix would be good:

• Opaque Color Examples: Cadmium (Yellow, Red, Green) Naples Yellow, Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Raw Umber, Portland Grays
• Transparent Color Examples: Ultramarine Blue, Indian Yellow, Ultramarine Violet, Alizarin Red, Dioxazine Purple,
• Rick's Favorites: Davy’s Gray (Grumbacher), Asphaltum (Gamblin), Payne’s Gray (Windsor & Newton) Transparent Red Oxide (Gamblin), Transparent Yellow Oxide (Gamblin)

Other Optional Items:

Extra primed wood panels, oil pigment sticks, oil pastels, transfer paper, graphite, chalk, sand, assorted brayers, catalyst tools, crayons, metal leaf, marble dust, texturing tools (brushes, cheesecloth or textiles, brooms, scrapers, wood skewers, stencils, sponges, pot scrubbers, other mark-making tools. Note: some of these items will be available to try out.

Carnelian Art Gallery is pleased to offer a limited number of supply kits, courtesy of Artist & Craftsman Supply in downtown Madison. Please email Carnelian Art Gallery three days prior to the class to request a kit.

All ticket sales are final at this time. You are required to email [email protected] five days before the workshop if you have any allergies to any of the materials in the supply list.

Host or Publisher Carnelian Art Gallery