Winter is upon us, and during the longest nights and coldest months, we aim to relax in comfort and warmth. Bonfires and blankets bring a cozy contentment that only comes with the crisp chill of winter. The Scandinavian term “hygge” is used to describe such a lifestyle of “comfortable conviviality.”
The organic elements of stone, clay, wax, and wood are abundant and ancient. I visited four environmentally responsive artists in Montgomery County to learn about how they work with these materials in the present day.
Shauna Martin
Wax is one of the more unusual materials used in today’s art scene, yet a very natural element. Encaustic artist Shauna Martin uses beeswax and damar resin to create dreamy, ethereal works upon which we embark into a journey of sepias and vintage monochromes, reminiscent of early photography practices. One form of art is sublimely influenced by another. Shauna is also an educator in photography, and other inspirations include deep thoughts of epistemology and epigenetics, the belief that we are a product of our environments and can change ourselves by changing our surroundings.
The encaustic technique has many stages and begins with a base of pure birchwood, Shauna uses heat to fuse and melt layers of wax, resin, oil paint, and coconut oil, and then pours, stains, paints, and seals with heat and fire. Using textured components such as fabric and tissue paper results in unplanned details. Fragments of thread and paper gone awry are left where they settle, as Shauna likes to “embrace the happenings.”
Shauna is a member artist of Da Vinci Gallery in Tomball and is involved in gallery representation in Colorado.
Michele Votano
After collecting and selecting rocks and stones locally and from further afield, Michele Votano hand chisels and crafts them into components for her unique sculptural pieces. A desire for a large stone cross above her mantle led to a passion shared with many churches and clients who appreciate the beauty of her work.
The process is a difficult journey. Adhesives and glazes have to be hand mixed in order to work well with the differing porous and polished surfaces. Limestone, sandstone, and river rocks are coordinated with semi-precious amethysts and quartzes, which radiate from the center in a kaleidoscopic “burst of faith.” These crosses are inspired by the stories and lives of people Michele meets, family members, and her own spirituality.
Showing her work in The Woodlands at Market Street Art Shows, she finds that people immediately connect with certain pieces which inspire them. She explains, “The crosses find their own homes with people who see the same beauty I see.” This work is truly born of hope, love, gratitude, faith, and remembrance and is made from one of the most ancient elements Earth has to offer. In addition to crosses, Michele has recently added flowers and angels to her unique collectibles. You can keep up with her @michelevotano on Instagram.
Larry Zarra
Artisan woodturner Larry Zarra seeks out fallen trees and logs to form into unique sculptural vases and vessels. Embracing the naturally formed splits, cracks, and holes results in creations with an honesty that only comes from such an organic approach. Working with “green” wood, he seeks to tell the story, the life of the tree. The rings and rays emanating from the central pith add interest and intrigue. The challenge of working with “spalting” wood, where bacteria and fungi have discolored, but not rotted, the wood, adds an element of excitement. There are many surprises in this practice, with turned pieces having a marble-like finish, of which every piece is different.
Influenced by the style of southwestern pottery, Larry recreates their forms and shapes. Every piece is hand-turned on a lathe, varnished, waxed and hand-buffed for an exquisite finish. Recent experimentation with different stains and finishes includes using black stain on carved wood or working with the Japanese technique of shou sugi ban. The wood is burned to char the veneer, another way of achieving a black finish, and gives Larry’s latest pieces a modern, contemporary edge.
Larry has been a master of his art for 27 years and is a member artist of Da Vinci Gallery in Tomball.
Carol Berger
Sourcing clay along Montgomery County’s riverbanks is all part of the artistic process for ceramic artist Carol Berger. After digging and then cleaning the raw or wild clay, she works with it as is or mixes it with other clays for different properties.
Carol also enjoys working with porcelain, a more refined material but very unforgiving to use. An avid eco-responsible artist, she uses naturally discarded elements in her work, such as horse hair, feathers, banana peels, cow manure, and seaweed. All contribute to creating surface colors and patterns, using a barrel or pit firing method where the work is packed with sawdust, and set alight for a lengthy smolder before revealing the alchemy that has occurred.
Carol is currently working toward an upcoming solo exhibition at Archway Gallery in Houston, inspired by the sounds of water, another natural element ever present in the clay and also used in the construction process. These works emanate water’s meditative sounds using hand-built rain sticks, chimes, and other functional and sculptural pieces.
A recent exhibition explored purity with a contemporary feel in her germination series. “The porcelain had no glazing, was sanded smooth and was perfectly white,” Carol stated.
Her love of clay and enthusiasm is shared by teaching private classes from her studio as well as showing work at Archway Gallery, The Conroe Art League, and directly from her website.
Bringing these naturally sourced artworks into our living spaces creates an environment with a fundamental component, a feeling of contentment, satisfaction, and being at one with our place in nature. Think of it as snug, or a hibernation, or a relaxing fulfillment for the transition of the year, where we can acknowledge the old and welcome the new.