R&F Handmade Paints

This past June at the 6^th Annual International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown, I had the opportunity to sit in on Richard’s session about the adhesive properties of different substances and their compatibility with encaustic paints and mediums.  There was an abundance of information about a variety of different materials and it was all pulled from real-world testing done here at R&F.   (Read more about testing here)   One thing that really struck me more than anything else is that it is not the binder that dictates whether or not a ground is suitable for encaustic - it is how you use it.

To be clear, very early on we were advising artists against the use of encaustic over acrylic mediums.   From 1988 (when Richard began advising artists) until 2007, that was perfectly sound advice.   We did not feel that the acrylic mediums and grounds that were on the market at that time had the porosity or “tooth” necessary for encaustic paint to reliably adhere to a substrate.   Then in 2008, after quite some time in development, we introduced our acrylic based “Encaustic Gesso”.  But how does this work?

Acrylic is bad, right?

Well, no.

Used properly, acrylic is a very reliable, and durable binder.  It has wonderful adhesive properties and flexibility. Carefully tweaked with some other materials, it is quite suitable for use with encaustic paint.  What I took away, more than anything else, from Richard’s presentation in June is that it is not about the binder.

Think of it this way: For years artists have quite successfully used traditional rabbit-skin glue gesso as a ground for encaustic.  Rabbit-skin glue by itself is a slick, non-porous, brittle medium.  On it’s own it is not a very good ground for encaustic.  When you combine it carefully with the right proportion of solid materials (titanium, chalk, etc) it becomes a very suitable ground for encaustic.  So, one more time:  it’s not about the binder.

The reason I feel confident about this (like all our products) is that we test them.  Again and again, until we feel confident about their performance.  Then we test them some more.

When we developed our Encaustic Gesso, (and later, when we worked with Ampersand to create Encausticbord) we wanted something that was absorbent and felt like watercolor paper but could be brushed on smooth and dry quickly with little effort.  We also wanted something that was not soluble with water after it dried since many artists combine encaustic with other media.  And we wanted a gesso that had excellent adhesion on all kinds of substrates and would be flexible and durable to withstand changes in the environment over very long periods of time.   After a lot of hard work and lots of testing we got all of these things.  And some acrylic.

Paintmaker Matt Kelly shares a day in the life at R&F making encaustic paint and Pigment Sticks:

There has been quite a bit of buzz lately about our Pigment Sticks.  More artists are becoming aware of what a great medium they are on their own but they are also being recognized for their unique ability to bridge different mediums.

Recently, we were fortunate to have Lisa Pressman here for the latest installment of our visiting artist series of workshops.  Lisa’s workshop, “Pigment Sticks and Mixed Media” covered a lot of ground in three days and participants generated an impressive amount of work.

The visiting artist series is a unique opportunity to experience a world class instructor/artist in R&F’s well stocked and equipped facility.

Thank you Lisa!!

Lisa and Richard

Last weeks Encaustic for Sculptors workshop taught by R&F’s Kelly McGrath was a huge hit.   Students were  introduced to many innovative 3D techniques and they produced an impressive body of work in just three days.

We are looking forward to an exciting year of mixed media and collaborative workshops as well as our tried and true comprehensive courses in in both encaustic and Pigment Stick.   Also keep an eye out for more in our series of visiting artists.    This year we are thrilled to have Lisa Pressman, Lorraine Glessner, Cat Crotchett, and Alexandre Masino here at R&F!!

Look here for more information or feel free to contact us to reserve a space!

"quack-quack" by paintmaker Matt Kelly

We stay pretty focused on our work here at R&F (luckily, we all love paint) and we’ve had a pretty exciting year with lots of new developments.    But now is a time to reflect and consider what we are thankful for.  The first thing that comes to mind is that we have wonderful customers who are passionate about what they do and share with us a love of paint that is, at times, borderline irrational.  On top of that they make what we do possible in the first place.  So thank you to each and everyone of you for doing what you do.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

The last of 2010’s Visiting Artist Workshops at R&F wrapped-up last week with Cari Hernandez, who came from Northern California to share some of her alternative methods of object making in a dynamic 3 day workshop.  Cari got her class all charged up!   If you missed out, or are not aware of Cari’s work take a look here.

The Visiting Artist Series is one of our favorite programs because it brings popular working artists to our studio facility to share exciting techniques with a small group of lucky students.  Be on the lookout in 2011 for another installment of this incredibly successful series.  Teaching artists on the roster include: Cat Crotchett, and Alexandre Masino, and Lorraine Glessner.

R&F Gallery Directory Laura Moriarty was recently on our wonderful independent Hudson Valley radio station WKZE talking about the Gallery, Encaustics and the upcoming show  “Nancy Graves Encaustics”.

Click the following Link to Listen in.

LM Interview

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Jim Haskin and Richard Frumess in 1996

January 15, 1988 is an important anniversary here at R&F Handmade Paints.  He had been making encaustic paint since 1982, but that was the day that Richard Frumess, working from a basement in Brooklyn, went to New York Central Art Supply and made his first commercial sale as R&F Encaustics, Inc.

In 22 years there have been many changes, including the name of the company, but R&F still remains dedicated to making the best paint we can.

As the R&F family continues to grow and face the realities of today’s global market, we wanted to take a moment to look back and remember our humble beginnings.  For more on our history click here.

The dust is just now beginning to settle in our workshop studio from Kim Bernard’s Visiting Artist Workshop here at R&F last week.  Kim presented ‘Beyond 3-D; Into the Third Dimension’ to a group of lucky artists who spent three days working intensively on mixed media sculptural and relief works using wax, clay & plaster, among other materials.  We had to do a lot of cleaning afterward but the results were well worth the effort.

Other Visiting Artist Workshops this year include:

Breaking the Rules: Mixed Media with Russell Thurston / July 29 - 31
Monotype and Beyond with Paula Roland / December 1-4

Joanne Mattera is well known for having authored the popular book: The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expressions in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax. She also keeps an informative blog that addresses many of the issues contemporary artists face today. In her ongoing series, “Marketing Mondays” she deals with the business (career) side of being an artist. Her blog caught my attention this Monday when she chose to write about pie. Of course, the pie she is referring to represents an artist’s time. If you find yourself juggling multiple tasks and have been wishing you had more time in the studio, it will be worth checking out - you may get some valuable tips on how to slice your pie more effectively while also coming to terms with the slices you have to give away.