Why and how to combine fresco and encaustic.

This demonstration will give Conferees the skills to construct simple storage and shipping containers for their encaustic work. They will learn how to construct a basic cardboard box and then adapt that “basic box” to protect and cushion the work. Conferees will also learn how to adapt the “basic box” in order for it to function as a reusable container for shipping work to galleries and museums.  I will also cover simple solutions to protect work when it is stored in the studio or in a gallery rack including constructing padded sleeves and removable “bumpers” to protect the edges and surfaces of work. Conferees will leave this demonstration with all of the basic skills needed to construct their own customized boxes, storage protection solutions and shipping containers. A handout with patterns will be provided.

What’s new in encaustic collage? Who has taken it to someplace new? This talk will inspire you to revisit tried and true techniques for new ideas and direction for your work.

In a structured conference with slide talks and demos, sometimes you just want a nice easy session when you can talk about whatever interests you without committing to an entire hour of one topic. This will be an informal 90 minutes of questions, answers, and conversation—whether it’s about encaustic specifically or art in general, or whether you’re curious about changes in the gallery world over the past few years, how much to promote yourself, how to find a mentor, or you just want to sit back and listen in. No charts, graphs, slides. Just talk. I’ve done a lot in the past 50 years of making, showing, curating, and writing about art, and I’m happy to share what I’ve learned. But your questions will drive the hour.

Fine Art Paper Expert, Educator & Founder at Paper Connection International and the Art Annex, Lauren Pearlman teams up with nationally known artist, Milisa Galazzi to create this new conference format - a Visual Q&A. Lauren will physically show participants the basics of how paper is made IRL (in real life!). She will show how plant fibers are added to water and share the magic of pulling a sheet of paper from natural materials. Milisa will share how she uses Lauren's Japanese papers in some of her artwork. Together these inspiring teachers will answer the question, Why Paper and Encaustic by showing and telling conferees some of the behind-the-scenes joys and challenges of combining paper and wax. This format is different from a traditional demonstration because Milisa and Lauren will be sharing information about the materials and answering conferees' questions - they will not be making art in a how-to format. After attending this session early in the conference line-up, attendees can then visit Lauren's Japanese paper booth in the Vendor Room and possess a basic understanding of paper and how it supports working with encaustic.

In this session, I will focus on how artists can effectively use tools like artificial intelligence, design software, video and music editing apps, as well as social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to enhance their online presence. These are tools I use in my own practice, and I’ll share practical tips on how to integrate them into a successful digital strategy.