You probably know by now that Lora Murphy has created an artworld sensation with her year-long exploratory encaustic painting program, Painting with Fire. Last year, I got to be a small part of it, one of 26 teachers they called “The World’s Best” (talk about Imposter Syndrome).

But, wow! PWF is back and even better than ever. I was just looking at some of the new classes – and some new teachers, too. Roxanne Evans Stout has always been one of my favorites, and she’s here, as well as dear friend Michelle Belto, and Bridget Benton, who just did a guest stint for us in The Enso Circle.

I thought and thought about what to teach for my main Painting with Fire class this year, and finally decided on a project called The Shaman Spirit in Paper and Wax: Exploring Simple Mixed Media and Encaustic Figure Construction.

The White Shaman murals were painted on rock in the lower Pecos River Valley of Texas 4000 years ago. These murals are the inspirational source of The Shaman Spirit in Paper and Wax. Using simple materials – sticks, wax, pigment, sinew – we will create assembled figures that reflect the mystery and collective consciousness revealed through shamanic symbols and marks. Some of the explorations include:

• Wax on paper, both monoprint and direct painting
• Collage techniques
• Waxed paper beads and adornments
• Simple primitive figure construction
• Face-making
• Mark-making
• Figure presentation

What do you think? Will it be fun? You bet 🙂 I hope you’ll sign up for Painting with Fire 2022-2023 through my link, below:

I want to be a fire painter, too!

Every week you’ll get a new class, and you can watch them any time from now until forever. Every teacher in this group is so excited to get to do this another year with you. If you click the link and go to the Painting with Fire site, you will see a list of all the teachers and their themes and processes. Like I said, I’m getting major Imposter Syndrome to be in this group.

Special thank to Lora Murphy, of course, and to all the creative people who joined us for the previous year of Painting with Fire. All the dates and information are here.

Yay for wax and fire and shamans and art and magic and creative beloved friends!!