Ezshwan Winding
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Ezshwan Winding is a classically trained artist who has been working professionally for over 60 years. She moves easily from figurative to abstract painting. Her work has been exhibited internationally and is in the collections of museums, universities, celebrities, and corporations.She lived in Europe for years and traveled extensively with her late husband, a well know jazz musician. These travels experiences to other cultures continue to inspire her.
20 years ago Ezshwan discovered the ancient medium of encaustic. She became excited about the sensuality and diversity of the medium. She has worked in and taught this technique for many years in San Miguel de Allende. A few years ago she added online workshops of advanced encaustic techniques.
Encaustic can be laborious and magical at the same time. Ezshwan paints the liquid, hot colors with brushes and fuses each layer with the flame of a gas torch. The fluidity of the encaustic medium is exhilarating and freeing. She opens her senses to the experience of hot wax and fire, and emotionally consents to a poetic and thrilling adventure. Ezshwan allows her subconscious to take over so that the work may transform the artistic experience. The application of many layers of molten beeswax, resin and pigments build countless layers. At times She draws or paints on the layers and then scrapes and rebuilds the surface. This action is much like analyzing a dream. Layer after layer is applied, scraped, incised, fused and marked to allow the truth of the piece to speak. The reveled layers whisper their subtle messages. New layers may veil the original image and take the work to a deeper, more subconscious state; adding rhythmic, curving lines and shapes to break up the rigidity of some of the geometric forms. Allowing the flame to move the paint, reminds her that one never has total control of life or encaustic. Ezshwan creates layered luminosity that is appealingly tactile. She encourages viewers to stroke and caress the paintings and discover the tactile experience of the painting.
In all her work she feels that the painting must have a reason for being. What can take the painting beyond the mundane and predictable? What message can she subtly suggest to the viewer? Although she has been called the encaustic artist in San Miguel de Allende, she rejects that title and includes many other mediums in her work. Lately, Ezshwan finds that mixed media is what accomplishes her creative mission and a re-introduction of oil and cold wax paintings, continuing to work in many layers, has expanded her ability to add newness to her art.