Elise Rugolo

Elise Rugolo, Thunderhead, 2008, flashe vinyl paint and collage on birch panel, 8 x 8 inches. 

 Resume: The artist Marc Chagall's declaration, "I work in whatever medium likes me at the moment," has always resonated with me.  As a mixed-media artist, I have explored a wide variety of media, but lately have been focusing on the encaustic medium. The encaustic process is an ancient painting technique in which the pigments are mixed with a medium of molten beeswax and damar resin, applied to a rigid substrate, and fused with heat. The encaustic medium appeals to me on many sensory levels, but because I naturally gravitate towards mixed media, I am primarily drawn to its compatibility with techniques and elements from other disciplines, such as digital art, drawing, printmaking, collage, and fiber art.

When I work with encaustic I am often compelled to create imagery akin to the natural world, most likely due to the organic nature of the medium. I particularly like to juxtapose organic or biomorphic forms with geometric shapes or patterns to create a unique space— sometimes lively, sometimes meditative in nature. I am directly influenced by the seasons, the weather, occurrences in the natural world, and the abstract forms of the landscape. The fluidity of molten wax can be suggestive of water, or the first spring thaw, which I find to be a delightful paradox considering that wax immediately hardens when separated from its heat source, becoming impervious to moisture.

My interest in art history has run parallel to my development as an artist, and I am deeply influenced by art traditions of other cultures and eras. My current body of work reveals my fascination with Asian and Tantric motifs and compositional devices. Much of my creative problem solving revolves around finding a balance of these influences within a contemporary framework and mindset.

Rugolo, E. (2012) Artist Resume. Concept Art Gallery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Retrieved from: http://www.eliserugolo.com/resume.html

I became interested in this artist through the various materials chosen in Rugolo's practice. highlighted above in her resume, I see a similarity through my practice as I too place together  contrasting effects of both biomorphic forms and geometric shapes. What I love most about these painting is the compositions and colour, they emphasis a deliberate pattern, although there are subtle changes as the materiality of paint seeps across the line, creating furry edges, which softens the overall look.