Encaustic #2 and #3 abstract paintings by Minnesota Mixed Media artist Terry Honstead

I finished another encaustic painting today.  Actually two of them!  These were lots of fun to do.  I did them each a little different than the other, but still made them so they could be used together.  I have an opening to an art show tomorrow from 5:00 - 7:00 and I may take them with me and just set them out somewhere.  I think they really need to set for a while to harden more.  This painting has eyelets in and I used oil sticks in both of them as well as metallic foil.  the first painting is 5 x 5 and the second one is 6 x 12 although it looks smaller on this page.  You can see more of my work on terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or email me athonstead@paulbunyan.net.

Encaustic #1 landscape painting by Minnesota Mixed Media artist Terry Honstead

This little 5 x 5 encaustic artwork is my very first encaustic painting.  For those of you that do not know what encaustic is, it is painting with a mixture of beeswax and damar resin.  You cook the mixture until it melts and then you get the clear medium.  I also made my own colors out of dry powdered pigment.  That is just one of the ways that you can make the colored wax.  I really enjoyed making it all myself!  This is actually an ancient way of painting that is permanent enough to still have some of it around that was done over 2000 years ago.  If you are interested, look up Fayum Portraits online.  It is all quite fascinating!  Anyway, I am hoping that this is the beginning of something I will really love doing!  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"View From Above", abstract landscape by Minnesota mixed media artist Terry Honstead

This was an abstract landscape painting ( 5 x 7 )that I finished today.  It is from a study that I did from a picture of the Grand Canyon.  It was a new technique influenced by Gustav Klimt.  It was lots of fun to do!  I may do several of these in the near future!  To see more of my work or to purchase, you can go to terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net.

Untitled by Terry Honstead

I thought I would post this mixed media piece today even though it isn't finish.  I will be out of commission for the next two days.  I tried several different techniques in this painting so far.  I need to put in one more fern and then we will see how it looks.  I also want to put on some metallics.  I have a new and different kind of metallics that I am really anxious to try!  We will see what the painting tells me as I get that done!  Any questions you can email me at:honstead@paulbunyan.net

Interplanetary Splendor by Terry Honstead

I am finally sort of settled in my new home and I have started painting again!  It has felt so good to work on things.  Now I decided I had better start blogging again!  This is my first painting since I restarted after Christmas!  I was thinking of Christmas and New Year when I painted it and it is special to me as I feel like I have a new beginning!  New house, new studio, new haircut, and new year!  I hope this year is wonderful for all of you!  My goal for the year is to work and develop my style in mixed media.  I want my work to be recognized as mine!  This on is not totally finished by the way!  I ordered some metallics and I want to add those before I consider this done!  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"What's for Lunch" by Terry Honstead

I started this painting with a background done in joint compound with imprints of ordinary objects.  I added collage and then decided it looked like a giraffe so I went with that.  The background was a lot of fun to create in this way.  See more on http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/terry-honstead.html or email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net

"Majestic Beauty" by Terry Honstead

This is a 11 x 14 mixed media piece that was lots of fun to do.  I started with washes and spray painted doilies and it looked so much like branches from a distance that I went with that.  I used tissue paper that I had painted with watercolor on the bottom for a layered look.  I finished off with black acrylic paint which I used to draw the tree.  You can see more at:  http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/terry-honstead.html  or email me at:honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"King" by Terry Honstead

This 11 x 15 mixed media piece is done on paper with many different kinds of papers.  After I put those down, I painted on them and then added modeling paste to an abstract sunflower stencil to represent the mane.  I then painted more and also drew on it to hint at the lion shape on the abstract design.  If you are interested in seeing more, you can do so at http://terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com/ or email me at  honstead@paulbunyan.net

"Look" by Terry Honstead

This 24 x 16 mixed media piece was done starting with joint compound on the support.  I used a roller  on it to add a texture and then waited for it to dry.  I didn't like how bumpy it turned out, so I took a chisel to it and took off the top edges.  It added wonderful light squiggles in the titan buff background.  I then transfered a picture that was taken of a rusty metal ornament on a brick wall.  I used a snake skin for the branch and hornet's nest fiber for the birds nest.  I also added parts of an old piece of lace, a doily, some music, writing, a broken piece of leather, some letters, some pages from and old book, some feathers, and an old dried up leaf.  It was a lot of fun designing this painting.  I was going to put some scrolls on in a couple of places with built up texture, but decided to go with oil based colored pencils instead.  To see more you can go to:  http://terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or email me at:honstead@paulbunyan.net .

"Journey" by Terry Honstead

This mixed media 16 x 24 x 1 in. piece is modeled after an old world map.  I wanted it to look like a treasure map and boys who are into pirates would love this!  There is a lot of texture to the background.  If interested you can get prints at:   terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or contact me at:   honstead@paulbunyan.net

"The Elephant Watches" by Terry Honstead

I thought I would post this painting so far.  I am not done yet, but you can see the succession of layers that I did in these.   I only used antwerp blue, permanent rose, quinacridone gold, and cad yellow light to do the whole painting.   I already had several layers done by the first picture.  I drew my picture on and then masked off part of it to stay white.  Then I poured paint on it and let the paint run and mix.  I let this dry and then added another layer of masking.  Then I poured again.  I would say that I had about eight layers before I took all of the masking off.  When I did that, more paint than I had expected came off with it so I had to darken some areas of it again.  The two sides that show the background were too dark so I lightened those area up again.  I still have more to do on this to darken the neck area and possibly try to darken the decorative part under his chin.  I will see.  I hope to finish this soon a it is a lot more work than I thought it would be.  However, I am having a lot of fun with it!  

"Eyes In The Window Of Life" by Terry Honstead

This is one of those paintings where I let the painting show me the way it wanted to go.  I started with geometric shapes that were interlocking and overlapping.  It sat that way for quite some time until I decided that I wanted to use mixed media on it.  Then I had lots of fun painting designs, spraying, stenciling, etc.  I got quite a bit done on it and then hit another block!  Again it sat for quite a while, but then I decided to put a set of eyes and a hint of a face.  That pulled it all together for me and I did some more line work to finish it, and now I feel like it is done.  I am happy with it now and the name says it all.....

"Kinsley" by Terry Honstead

This 10" x 15" watercolor is done, I think.  As usual, I am never quite sure when I first finish and will have to look at it for a few days to be sure.  This is my granddaughter.  She is almost a year now, and her mom says, she prefers the toilet paper to roll from the under side!  If you would like to see more of my paintings, you can go to:  terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or email me at:  honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"Kinsley" by Terry Honstead

 This piece is started and I kind of hit a block.  I am not sure what else I am going to do on it so it sits in my studio, half done.

I worked on this painting all day yesterday.  It is coming along, but needs a lot more darks.  I haven't even started her clothing yet because I do not know what color I am going to make it.  In the actual picture that I have, her outfit was a really pale pink, but that wouldn't show up so well in the painting.  I am thinking maybe to go with a burgundy or red of some sort.  I also need to put in a lot more darks.

"Pie Anyone?" by Terry Honstead

These two Mixed Media pieces are on 11 x 14 boards.  I came up with the idea for a show we are having in town called "Moods and Foods".  What better to do than a pie in the face?   It was a lot of fun having my daughter pose for the pictures!  And she was a good sport about it as well!  If anyone is interested in seeing more, you can find me at terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com  or email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net

"Summer Blossoms" by Terry Honstead

This is a 40 x 30 mixed media painting that has lots of meaning for me.  Within the painting there is a story of my life.  If you look closely you can see a baby face (mine) in the second flower from the right on the top.  I also have my name, my report card from 3rd grade, and a ferris wheel (because my grandparents were carnival people).  There are other things as well.  If you would like to see more, you can find me at:  terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com  or email me at:  honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"Branchin Out" by Terry Honstead

This 11 x 14  mixed media painting  was done using doilies, spray paint, lace, and lastly negative painting with acrylic paint.  I wanted to give the impression of a tree without actually painting the whole tree.  I wanted the patterns in the doily and lace to become branches as well as where I used negative painting.  I was happy with how this turned out.  If you would like to see more of my work or purchase a print, you can find it at terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or email me at  honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"Under the Bridge" by Terry Honstead

  

This  17 x 11 Mixed Media on board was done in layers.  I used the same shape as I used for a previous painting, but the background is totally different, giving this painting a whole different feel.  If you would like to see more, you can go to terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com/ or email me at: honstead@paulbunyan.net.

"Summer Greenery" by Terry Honstead

This 16 x 20 is done with mixed media on a cradle board.  I have been trying to get a feeling with just a small range of colors.  Each one is done a little differently.  It can be viewed at terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net

"Two As One" by Terry Honstead

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This 24 x 18 in painting is on cradle board.  I experimented with my liquid acrylics to make the background and then decided to use torn paper collage for the figures.  I had at first painted them, but was just not happy with the results, so I tried the collage and now it seems as it should be!  If anyone is interested in seeing the previous version or purchasing a print, you can find it at:  terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or email me at:  honstead@paulbunyan.net