Gallery Events

“Spirit Hunter” Encaustic and Mixed Media Paintings/ Fine Art Prints by Barbara Hudin
4th Friday Art Walk Reception 
April 24th 5:00 – 8:00 PM

Encaustic Painting

Encaustic (Enkaustikos) painting is an ancient process invented by the Greeks to seal the hulls of their ships.  Later the process was used to create tomb paintings – the oldest and best preserved paintings on earth.  Many of these are on display in the Louvre in Paris and are 2,000 or more years old.  The paint is made by heating chunks of tree resin (dammar), bee’s wax, and dry pigments together and brushing the molten mix onto a rigid surface or panel.  Drying almost instantly, the artist is allowed to make one or two brush strokes before the paint sets up.  Once a layer of paint is put down, the painting must be fused to the surface with an iron, heat gun, or torch – before adding another layer of paint.  This technique creates a luminous and extremely durable surface and assures the integrity of the painting.  Like all fine artwork, encaustic paintings should be stored and displayed properly, avoiding direct sunlight and hot temperatures.  They should never be left in a hot car or storage facility.

Artist Statement

I began experimenting with encaustic painting in the early 1990’s while majoring in painting and printmaking at the Pacific NW College of Art in Portland, OR.  I learned how to make encaustic paint by “word of mouth” from then Seattle artist, Jef Gunn.  At that time there were no resources available from which to learn the process.  I saw an exhibition of his paintings and knew immediately that I wanted to create encaustic paintings.

Approximately 15 years ago, I began collecting pigments during camping and hiking trips into desert and volcanic areas – mostly in Oregon and Utah.  Beautiful veins of natural pigment such as yellow ochre and burnt sienna may be found along road cuts and geologic formations that have experienced erosion.  This also brought me into contact with places where Native American people lived and created pictographs/petroglyphs, often using these same pigments. This has had a profound influence on my creative process, specifically viewing these ancient marks that were so connected to the natural world in which they lived and hunted.  To date, I have collected around 40 different natural pigments and incorporate them into my paintings whenever possible.

May 14– June 23, 2020

Opening Reception Friday May 22 5:00 – 8:00 PM

The Polequaptewa Dance Group from Shongopovi, AZ presenting Pavalhik, the Hopi Water Maiden Dance

Saturday May 23rd beginning at noon in the ‘Tis building third-floor banquet hall. Admission is free

In its 11^th year, the ‘Tis “Journeys in Spirit 2020: Traditional and Contemporary Native Art Exhibition” is a month-long event produced in partnership with the Museum of Indigenous People (formerly the Smoki Museum) which showcases the visual arts, music, dance and story-telling of and by present day Native people.

To celebrate the launch of Journeys in Spirit 2020, there will be an opening reception for the artists on May 22 from 5-8 p.m. Presented as part of Prescott’s popular 4th Friday Art Walk, the reception will feature catered delights and conversations with the artists. The opening activities will continue at noon on Saturday May 23^rd with Alrye Polequaptewa and the Polequaptewa Dance Group from Shongopovi, AZ presenting Pavalhik, the Hopi Water Maiden Dance.

The arts play an integral role in Native society. Beginning at a young age, Native children are introduced to artistic mediums, including bead working, basketry, woodcarving, weaving, and metalworking, as well as the crafting of musical instruments and ceremonial attire. Color and imagery carry symbolic meaning in Native cultures, and music and dance are considered an essential aspect of social and ceremonial gatherings. Storytelling, the oldest of all the art forms, is used to keep alive cultural history and sacred beliefs. For many Native artists, inspiration is found in the stories, ceremonies and rituals that have been passed on to them across several generations, while others are influenced by their personal experiences in the modern world, both within and outside of their tribal communities.

Journeys in Spirit 2020 will spotlight emerging and established artists from various Native cultures, including the Acoma, Apache, Choctaw, Dine’, Hopi, Yaqui, Yavapai and Zuni

Visitors will have the opportunity to view a wide variety of artistic mediums, including basketry, bead working, silversmithing, Katsina carvings, painting, sculpture and photography. Some works will reflect the traditional styles of Native cultures, while others will incorporate a contemporary aesthetic or a combination of old and new. Regardless of the unique style or medium, all works showcased at Journeys in Spirit will reflect the artist’s personal stories and ongoing quest for discovery and knowledge.

“Journeys in Spirit 2020” is presented by  ‘Tis and the Museum of Indigenous People with additional support from the City of Prescott and the Prescott Area Arts and Humanities Council