Material Nature at the Propeller Gallery, Toronto 

an exhibition by CERA, a collective of six artists exploring wax

​

When an artist conceives of a work of art, she selects the materials that will best convey her intention and desired effect.  Each medium has its own dynamic nature.  A specific construction process will yield a final product, but the result is determined by both the individual workmanship of the artist and the nature of the material used. 

The theme of the paintings is the exploration of wax, its material properties and its nature.  That is, how wax can be transmogrified through hot or cold wax applications, or even replicated through the discerning application of acrylic polymer mediums. In doing so, the material reflects each artist’s intent and informs the completed work in unique ways.

For example, beeswax will melt when heated, but the resulting piece will very much depend on the technique, the process used to heat and the individual nature of the wax.  Cold  wax may be added to alkyd mediums and oil pigments in a series of delicate layers, or may be mixed with oil paints to create rich impastos.  Acrylics may be combined with polymer emulsions to create veils of colour that look like encaustic fusion.