Carol Babington
Oil, Encaustic, AcrylicI believe one must understand oneself in order to live a happy life. The sun, the moon, the planets all play a role in this understanding. In my case, for example, Mercury was ascendant in my First House at the time of my birth. Mercury is the fastest of all planets, buzzing around the Sun in just 88 days.
I have set my first challenge, then, to understand the “discipline of spontaneity.” Through experimentation with most art mediums, I discovered that encaustic and oil painting suited me the best. These two mediums are at the opposite ends of this spontaneity spectrum. Encaustic is molten wax flowing by chance while an oil painting results from deliberate planning and calculated brush strokes.
My goal is to create a rapport between my use of these two mediums. I let my hand show through encaustic via texture. I seek to loosen control of the paint by loosening my touch. This opposition of technique is the emotional relief I seek.
Carol Babington, as a non-traditional student, earned her third college degree in Studio Arts from New Mexico State University in 2012. Since then, her work has appeared in Juried Exhibitions in New Mexico and Colorado.
Carol works in printmaking, lithography, acrylic, ceramics, sculpture, encaustic, and oil painting. Her curiosity of new techniques and materials is boundless. If it’s new, she wants to try it. Serendipity is central to her psyche.