To be or not to be an artist was never a decision I had to make. Since my first years of grade school, I knew I loved creating…. I loved color and line and texture; and the challenge of moving a crayon and hearing that someone could recognize the cow or the horse; a few years later, it was the person in the drawing or the place which would be identified.
During my adult life as an artist, I’ve always loved the stimulation I’ve felt while trying new mediums and learning new techniques.
In the mid 90’s I became intrigued with the art of encaustics. I love the luminescence of the wax medium. I’ve experimented the during past few years with layering and embedding; building up and carving out; combining drawings and collage with found objects. The techniques used in encaustics are diverse and yet compatible.
In 2009 I came across a collection of poetry that my mother-in-law had written and given to me. Her poetry is rich in imagery and I started working with her poems as inspiration for my art. Many of her words reference shared experiences; many are inspired by her childhood, her life before I ever knew her.
I’ve selected a handful of her poems and am presently working on a series of paintings and encaustics inspired by her words.
When I asked permission to use her poetry in such a way, she graciously said yes. Months later I received more poems reworked. Another couple of months and 17 more poems came in the mail. Her work has given me the inspiration to paint and, I think, my paintings have inspired her to write more poems.
Media: Encaustic, Collage, Acrylic
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Website: donnamattson.com
