Sherrie Posternak
Sherrie Posternak
I take advantage of all of my life's passions-- making and teaching art, travel, learning about other cultures, becoming fluent in the Spanish language, and expanding her business designing accessories. Everything involves communication and the integration of the variety of life's disciplines. Within the context of the arts, I choose whatever medium or technique is most appropriate to express my ideas-- whether it be encaustic, or encaustic mixed media that includes photography, ceramic, glass, wood, paper or textiles. I began her encaustic practice in 2007, and have had solo and group shows in the U.S. and Mexico. I have also curated or juried various gallery exhibits. I teach workshops in all phases of the encaustic practice. I self-published a catalogue on the topic of her 2010 art installation "A Memorial for El Tomate." My thoughts appear in various magazine articles and blog interviews. Images of my artwork appear in the gallery section of the E-book "Contemporary Paper and Encaustic" by Catherine Nash, and Volume I of Linda Robertson's revised E-book "Embracing Encaustic.”
Prior to working with encaustic, I had explored various other media and artistic endeavors. I designed and fabricated jewelry from 1977-1988. For several years in the early 80’s I worked at Peters Valley, a residential crafts community in northwestern New Jersey, in capacities including gallery assistant, assistant to the director, and programs chair. From 1988-1997 I owned a fine crafts gallery in Middleburg Virginia. Towards the end of that endeavor I learned and practiced the art of mosaics. I also enjoy photography, mixed media, and collage.
Website: sherrieposternak.com
Facebook: facebook.com/sherrie.posternak
Classes with Sherrie Posternak
An Artist’s Book — Exquisite Corpse
We will each make a book based on Picture Consequences, the visual version of the Surrealist parlor game Exquisite Corpse (wherein a collection of words is collectively assembled.) As a child did you have a book in which the pages were cut into thirds, the top third of the pages showing the head of a person or animal, the middle third the torso, and the bottom third the legs? We will compose our books with at least 8 individual drawings. Encaustic wax medium will be the binding material for the drawings on sumi paper adhered to Encaustiflex. Our covers will be made of cotton quilt batting saturated with wax medium. Eyelets and binder rings will put it all together.
Fabrication of an artist’s book using painting/drawing/or printing on papers plus encaustic, and binding with eyelets and binder rings.
Equipment, Supplies and Materials Needed and Suggested:
Flat heated surface such as electric griddle or Roland HotBox (www.VentAFume.com) set to temps 180*-200*
Silicone baking mat (available in well-stocked kitchen stores or online)
Surface thermometer or laser thermometer *Encaustic medium in 8 oz or larger tin *Several blocks of encaustic paint- optional *Natural bristle brush 2” (hake preferred) *Spring clips for tin
Tweezers
Exacto knife and/or box cutter (sharp)
Sumi paper or other lightweight porous paper (the thinner and more porous the better)
Metal ruler
Sharp pencil
Sheets of plain paper if you are going to print your artwork on the sumi paper
You can print your images on the sumi paper (instructions in this workshop), or use drawing materials such as India ink, other drawing tools, watercolors, markers (not encaustic paint as it will run when reheated for laminating)
Self-healing cutting mat
Encaustiflex (encaustiflex.com) (medium weight) or Evolon (130GSM) (various suppliers)
Scissors
Cotton quilt batting
Pigment sticks- optional (RFpaints.com)
Paper towels for pigment sticks and cleanup
Piece of cardboard or card stock for making a template
Eyelets and eyelet setter (www.CraftMeMore.com)
Hammer
Piece of silk or synthetic chamois
Binder rings- size dependent on how many pages you have (www.hygloss.com)
Gamsol by Gamblin (preferred) or other odorless mineral spirits for cleanup
Paint scraper/palette knife for cleanup