A New Direction... but cold wax medium and oils are still my first love, and I will never abandon them❤️
For a long time, my teaching (and especially my new website) focused mostly on cold wax medium and, more recently, Powerwax. It has been my favorite way of painting for years, and honestly, it still is. I love building layered surfaces and discovering what appears in the paint. I almost always start seeing faces and textured portraits emerging along the way.
Recently, I learned that Powerwax will no longer be produced!
At first, I was really shocked, especially because so many of you love it too. But then my love for experimenting and curiosity took over. What can I find to replace the Powerwax for Acrylics? And it made something else clear as well: What I truly love teaching is not just one product (wax). What I love most is painting layers and textures, and creative freedom.
Why I Love Texture and Layering in Painting
Texture is what makes a painting come alive for me. Am I the only one that gets super excited over a layered and textured background? To the point that I get afraid to cover it up?
I love building layers, making marks, adding pigments, scraping back, and then slowly bringing in a subject. My textures are usually not super thick, but I love the depth you can create with them and let the underlying layers shine through.
From Cold Wax to Textured Mixed Media Art
Cold wax and oils will absolutely stay part of my work and teaching. It is still my first love.
But I’m also excited to go further and explore textured mixed media art with oils, acrylics, collage, and other materials. There are so many ways to create texture, and I love that this opens the door to even more experimentation.
If you are new to cold wax painting, you can start with my post on How to use cold wax medium, and this one on Building textures with cold wax
How I Build Layers with Oils, Acrylics, and Mixed Media
My process is always about curiosity and my mantra 'Explore, Experiment and have Fun'!
I begin with a base of layered color and marks, then keep adjusting: adding, scraping, softening, and rebuilding or 'construct and de-construct' as I call it. Whether I use cold wax and oils, or acrylics and mixed media, I’m always searching for 'happy accidents' that I can use in my painting.
If you want to explore this foundation more, you can also visit my Cold wax and oils guide
Join Me in the Creative Collective Membership
I’m so excited for this new chapter, and I’d love for you to be part of it.
Inside the upcoming membership, we’ll paint together each month with creative exercises, prompts, and thoughtful support in a cozy community of artists.
Whether you are just starting or already experienced, this is a space to keep exploring, keep experimenting, and keep your art practice moving.
