Gorge Artist Open Studio Tour artist highlight: Dawn Nielson

Dawn Nielson is one of the 52 local artists participating. A Stevenson resident, Nielson primarily features Encaustic Wax in her art. According to Artist Tour website, the “transparency and pliability” of the wax allows her to create both paintings and sculptures.

Columbia Gorge News [CGN]: Can you introduce yourself for the record? (Who you are, what you do, how long have you been in the Gorge?)

Nielson: I’m Dawn Nielson, a painter and sculptor who works primarily with encaustic wax (melted beeswax and pine resin). My husband and I relocated our family from Mesa, Arizona, to Stevenson, Washington, in 2003. With the help of friends, in 2019, we began building an art studio on our property. It has taken about three years to complete. I use the term complete loosely. The studio is also a giant canvas for me. The more time I spend in it, the more creative nuances I seem to add to it. I chose the name Kamané Studio to honor my great-grandparents, who immigrated from Lithuania. Kamané means bumblebee in Lithuanian.

CGN: Can you explain what is encaustic wax and how you use it in your work?

Nielson: Encaustic wax is a mixture of melted beeswax and pine resin. Sometimes, I melt different ratios of the two components myself; sometimes, I purchase it melt-ready. There are many techniques I use when making my art. Once the encaustic wax is melted, I paint with it or over a painting I’ve done in watercolor, ink, or acrylic. Sometimes, I carve into the wax and press oil paint into the carved lines. Sometimes, I stitch wire into the wax.

CGN: What drew you to it, and what do you enjoy most about it?

Nielson: Encaustic wax allows me to be both painter and sculptor. I like that. My education is in graphic design from Al Collins School of Graphic Design in Tempe, AZ (1987) and in general fine arts from Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) in Portland, OR (2014). At PNCA, my focus was painting and sculpture while adding a minor in psychology from Marylhurst University. Art therapy and counseling were my focused psych topics there. Having an education in human thought and behavior was the perfect add-on to fuel my creativity. Encaustic wax is a fluid medium. Then it hardens, encasing what’s beneath it. This transfers to having closure with something or wanting something to stay the same.

CGN: How would you describe your work?

Nielson: The subject of my work shifts between psychological (the way people think and behave fascinates me), nature (I am surrounded and inspired by astounding beauty living in the Columbia Gorge), and abstract anatomy (providing a different perspective on what is deemed normal is far more interesting than normal). I haven’t used all three of these concepts simultaneously in one piece, and perhaps I should now that I’ve listed them here.

CGN: What is your process when you want to create a piece?

Nielson: Many processes feed my work. I take a lot of photos. Sometimes, I digitally overlay images I have taken and use them as the base image of an encaustic painting. I add as many layers of encaustic wax as needed for each piece, carving and painting between them. The base layer is just the start. Each encaustic wax layer must be fused to the one beneath it. I use two methods for this. Sometimes, I use a heat gun; other times, I use a torch and flame. When not using my photography, I paint my base imagery in watercolor, ink, or acrylic before adding fused layers of encaustic wax. Adding pigment to the wax medium is another way I have painted with it. I appreciate the versatility.

CGN: Do things always turn out the way you expect them?

Nielson: Things do not always turn out as I hoped they would. But that’s one of the beautiful things about being an artist. The ability to approach a problem critically and creatively with an artistic lens. Nothing for me is ever a failure. My only failure would be to stop and not figure out how to make my compositions work.

CGN: Do you have any favorite pieces you’ve done? Why are they your favorite?

Nielson: I do have a favorite piece right now. Serious Grey. It is a 3 foot by 3 foot encaustic carving on a wood panel. The only painting I did with this piece was layering and fusing encaustic wax I tinted with black pigment. I carved the linework of the Great Grey Owl by hand, then pressed the carved lines with white oil paint. This is the first time I have used this process. It took a lot of problem-solving and time to figure out the best ways to carve different feather styles. My carving tools comprised metal dental instruments, an awl, and Lino carving tools.

CGN: Are there any misconceptions out there about working with encaustic wax you would like to speak on?

Nielson: There is no one way to create with encaustic wax. I am connected with many encaustic wax artists who use different techniques.

CGN: What do you hope people take away from your pieces?

Nielson: Intrigue. I hope the art I create intrigues people.

CGN: What are your plans for future projects?

Nielson: I am creating a body of work for a show at Cathedral Ridge Winery for June and July this year. I have started teaching encaustic wax classes in my studio and plan on adding more hosted creative gatherings to my schedule.

Nielson’s studio is located at 549 NW Hot Springs Alameda Road in Stevenson. Find more of her work on her website, dawnnielson.com, and on Instagram (instagram.com/kamanestudio).

For more information Nielson and the other 51 participating artists, and a map of this year’s tour, visit gorgeartists.org.