A collection of original oil and wax canvases from Salida artist Sally Mather are on display at Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center (HRRMC) now through Dec. 31 of this year.
In her new series, Ms. Mather a mixture of oil paint and cold wax in a series of two to three colors to create her pieces. The cold wax gives the paint more body, which she then applies with rubber spatulas, palette knives and brayers (a hand-tool used in printing and printmaking). Using handmade stencils torn from paper, shapes and patterns are sometimes added to the painting.
“The layering process allows me to develop rich, complex organic surfaces. Scraping back to the underlying layers can reveal the unique history of the painting,” Ms. Mather said.
Ms. Mather spent her professional career as a nurse-midwife providing women’s healthcare, although her need to be creative was always present. Through the years, she has taken numerous classes and workshops to develop her artistic skill set. Since retiring in Salida, she has been able to pursue art full-time.
“It [the process] all starts with energetic scribbles on a blank piece of paper, followed by swaths of color. Painting abstractly in oil and cold wax is all about play, exploration and discovery. Working intuitively, I balance spontaneity with thoughtful decisions as the painting evolves. It is always a surprise to see where the painting takes me.”
HRRMC displays the work of regional artists each quarter, with an emphasis on the Arkansas Valley. Call 719-530-2217 for more information on exhibiting art at HRRMC.
