In Conversation With Caryl St. Ama
Caryl St. Ama, Chroma: Blue 3, 12” x 12”, encaustic on panel, 2019.
Teaching artist Caryl St. Ama has a line-up of compelling new workshops in 2021! We've added these to our calendar, and checked in with Caryl to see what she's been working on in her studio and beyond as things return. Enjoy our conversation below and make sure to visit Caryl's website to learn more.
Caryl St. Ama, Ghost of Covid, 24” x 18”, mixed media on paper (coffee, ink, and charcoal overprinted with encaustic collagraph), 2020.
How is your painting and teaching practice evolving while things return back to your life in the arts?
In Southern California, we were among the first states to quarantine, and art and education here went into hibernation almost immediately. Thankfully these efforts paid off for LA’s art scene, and now this spring, over one year later, things are looking up. I took the winter to deeply reorganize my studio to accommodate small group work and private visits and to extend my capacity to work with encaustic monotypes. In April, with vaccination rates rising, I was able to schedule several small group workshops in Ojai and elsewhere, and my colleagues began visiting my new set up and chatting about process. The energy in Los Angeles in ramping up, with several art events featuring encaustic painters already happening. I’m looking forward to offering encaustic and Pigment Stick® workshops as well as encaustic monotypes and on and off the press collagraphs.
Have you seen any artwork, or had any recent experiences that have influenced your new paintings?
During the pandemic, I turned inward like many artists, and was able to absorb all the things there never seems to be time for. I was inspired by several books on tape and podcasts, and many artist biographies, while working in my studio. Too much screen time is never good, so I focused on spending time with the local flora and fauna in my own garden. The natural influence has always been a part of my work, and it was nourishing to spend slower periods with nature. I was once again inspired by the all that surrounds me. Oh, and I became a grandmother! So sharing the birthing process with my daughter and her husband was profound and inspirational, though additionally stressful to experience during a pandemic.
Are there any new techniques you've been working with? Any new colors?
In the studio, I followed two tracks. I continued to work small scale on a very intense, highly textured encaustic series, drawing from topographic and coastline imagery. The six panels have a miniaturized “Gulliver's Travel’s” motif, and are currently on exhibition. These works were very tight, and used the full variety of greens and blues R&F offers, studded with flecks of cream and ochre.
On the other hand, I also allowed myself to blow a lot of boundaries, working with encaustic prints in an open, gestural style on oversized pieces of paper. I experimented with a variety of materials and textures, combining wax and Pigment Stick® together, and incorporating some elements of rubbing and collage. I started with a reduced palette, chromatic whites, and neutrals - thinking I would eventually overprint them. As the pieces evolved, they became multi-layered collages, fused together. I've named them the "Ghost of COVID" because they have both an explosive and tense, yet melancholic and ethereal feel.
Caryl St. Ama, Chroma: Blue 2, 12” x 12”, encaustic on birch plywood, 2019.
CARYL’S UPCOMING DEMOS & WORKSHOPS
"Using R&F Encaustic Paint"
Sat, Oct 23 - Sun Oct 24, 2021
Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts
Ojai, CA
R&F Encaustic Demo
Sat, Aug 14, 2021
ART ON 30TH - An Arts community
San Diego, CA
R&F Encaustic Workshop
Sat, Sep 11 - Sun Sep12, 2021
ART ON 30TH - An Arts community
San Diego, CA
CURRENT EXHIBITION
TELEPHONE - An International Arts Game
An exhibition based on the children’s game, artists were sent artwork from two artists unknown to them and the recipient then interprets into an art piece and that piece is sent on to other artists. The art piece can be a piece of poetry, song, photograph, painting, etc. The resulting pieces were kept secret until launch day.