Wax with dk haas

My wishes of wax were answered.  

Due to a twist of events that included forgetting my studio keys, I got to have a studio visit and encaustic tutorial with dk haas.  

dk's studio is great and her wax set up is dialed in. She's been working in wax for a decade. I got to play with pigment, a heat gun, paraffin and beeswax, falling completely back in love with the swirling liquid wax. 

I think there's lot of potential for universe-in-drag work with this technique.  All I need is a little glitter. 

Or maybe a lot.  

All Queens Go To Heaven

San Francisco's iconic Drag Queens are the primary inspiration for my current work.  The 'spark that was to flare' into the Is Glitter Gay series was struck at Fall Follies 2014.  The show, chock full of incredibly talented performers, was hosted by Cookie Dough.  It was the first time I had seen Cookie on stage and I immediately loved her.  I loved her yellow and black plaid schoolgirl ensemble, a la Cher Horowitz.  I loved her irreverence and personable honesty.  I left the show a Cookie Dough Fan.

At Christmas, Erica and I went to the Golden Girls and lined up after the show to have our photo taken with the cast.  Cookie, fantastic as Sophia, was such a delight.  She complimented my sweater and remembered my name.  I was too starstruck to tell her I was a big fan.

All Queens Go To Heaven (Cookie's New Home) [Detail, Work in Progress]

My heart is heavy with the news of Cookie's passing.  Though I can't count Cookie as a friend, or even an acquaintance, she made an impression on my life and my art.  As my newest work begins to marry the celestial and the glamourous, I imagine Cookie's New Home, beyond this world.  My thoughts are with Cookie's family and friends.