Martha Rea Baker

Martha has finished several new paintings for the upcoming Wax exhibit at Karan Ruhlen Gallery in Santa Fe, NM. Posted below is a new hot wax encaustic 36″ x 36″ square. Say tuned—the exhibition, “Excavated Passages”, opens on July 22, 2011.

Slate----24" x 24"----Courtesy of Karan Ruhlen Gallery

Please visit the Oil/Cold Wax Gallery page for new paintings recently posted. Several of these paintings will be featured in the July exhibition at Karan Ruhlen Gallery in Santa Fe, NM entitled, “Excavated Passages” opening July 22.

The Encaustics of Martha Rea Baker and Mary Long-Postal
July 22 – August 4, 2011
Karan Ruhlen Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

SANTA FE, NM. Luminous colors, elusive textures, evocative depths, and excavated passages are the stuff of encaustic. “It’s a medium that has a rich history in antiquity.” says Karan Ruhlen.” In this two-person exhibit, encaustic is both a reminder of the passage of time, as well as a riveting witness to the presence of space, light and mystery.”

Haiku I-----12" x 12"

Martha has several oil/cold wax panels in progress, working back and forth between 8 to 10 paintings. These paintings evolve through multiple layers, adding and subtracting as she progresses.  What is removed is as important as what is added. Textures are scraped into the paint and then subtly covered or veiled. A time-worn effect is the goal. Always interested in marks left behind by weather, erosion and  earlier civilizations, Martha’s paintings are excavations, an uncovering of textures which remind us of the passage of time. They evoke a visceral response in the viewer and are reminders of our experiences with nature and man.

Please visit the Oil/Cold Wax Gallery to view recent work.

Vertical 2----36" x 12"

Martha is pleased to announce that a “new medium” page has been added to her site. Since September, Martha has been exploring the rich medium of oil paint mixed with Dorlands cold wax. This is an extremely time-consuming method,  however the results are stunning. The soft, waxy  textural surface is reminiscent of Encaustic. Watch for additional paintings to be posted soon. 

Division---12" x 6"--courtesy of Karan Ruhlen Gallery

The sun has been out in Santa Fe and Martha has explored the color yellow. These paintings reflect the artist’s mood.

On Golden Pond----Oil and Cold Wax----36" x 36" Diptych

Soleil----Acrylic----30" x 20"

Soleil II----Acrylic----48" x 30"

You were promised an update and images from Martha’s annual painting retreat in the Texas Hill Country. The ten days of uninterrupted studio time was well-spent, with many new panels and canvases in oil and acrylic as results.

Martha worked in oil and cold wax on 2″ cradled panels in her Canyon Walls Series, “Traces of Time”.  

Traces of Time 3----12" x 12"----Oil and Cold Wax

 

In addition, Martha painted several acrylic canvases with quick gestural strokes. 

      

Unconscious Mark Making----48" x 36"----Acrylic

Sunshine----30" x 20"----Acrylic