Members K-M

FUSEDChicago members organized alphabetically by last names: K-M Artist Listings on this page: Catherine Keebler*, Dawn Korman, Mary Krebs Smyth*, Pat Lagger, Katherine Lampert*, Laura LaRue, Julie Lutjen Lawrence, Jenny Learner, Barbette Loevy, Elyse Martin, Jane Michalski, Joan Fellows Moriarty*, Ahavani Mullen

*Artist information coming soon

Dawn Korman

I love painting in encaustic because it’s spontaneous, organic, unpredictable, luminous, tactile, essential, raw, elemental and natural. Painting with beeswax is more about the process than the outcome — so for me, it’s a metaphor for life. Drawn to human-beings and the curiosity of their nature, I’m interested in what motivates, informs and impassions us. When I paint I’m captivated and elevated by the process of noticing, feeling and problem-solving.
Website: www.dawnkorman.com Email: yoohoodawn@yahoo.com

Pat Lagger

I’m an artist and musician. I’ve had Ragdale and Vermont Studio Center residencies, and I’ve exhibited widely in the Chicago area and in Paris. My eighteen-inch square encaustic paintings evoke my passion for antique manuscripts and music.  Musical notation, especially of Gregorian chant, reminds me of patterns I find in small segments of leaves, rocks and animal markings. The wax encourages me to improvise on my musical themes.
Website: www.patlagger.com Email: plagger@sbcglobal.net

Laura LaRue

Although I have taught high school art for 18 years I have only recently discovered encaustics. Captivated by nature and how her moods seem to echo those of human emotions, I imply organic textures with the wax and use it as a vehicle for my drawings and natural objects. My immersion into this versatile medium is in a constant state of flux as I learn new techniques and find inspiration in other encaustic artists’ work every day.

Website: lauralarue.weebly.com Email: llarue70@comcast.net

Julie Lutjen Lawrence

My painting is about capturing subtle shifts in light, color and reflections. The layers of beeswax, metal leaf and oil paint trap and hide the light. The point of discovery is in the scraping and incising of the surface, when fleeting atmospheres are found.

Website: www.julielutjenlawrence.com

Jenny Learner

Classically trained at the American Academy of Art and self-taught in interior, surface design & photography, I’ve been making art my entire life. I’ve worked as a decorative artist designing custom room dividers, hand-painted wall coverings, fabrics, murals, & site-specific art for interior designers and architects. I fell madly in love with encaustic and its range of possibilities as a medium and I share my love through teaching artists of all ages and genres.
Website: www.jennylearner.com Email: jlearner@mac.com

Barbette Loevy

My work has been described as strong on composition and having a painterly approach. I use a strong, expressive brush stroke together with forms of mark making that is often buried under successive, translucent layers combined with collaged elements or pieces from previous work. My images reflect a lifelong preoccupation with spontaneity vs. discipline. Creating is a process of taking control and letting go—a tension between spontaneity and deliberateness.
Website: www.barbetteloevy.com Email: barbloevy@yahoo.com

Elyse Martin

A Chicago born artist, I’ve taught in the inner city since 1973. During my teaching tenure I savored the excitement and accomplishments of my students. Now, I’ve turned my focus to my own work that is inspired by the energy of people close to me. I translate their energy to powerful, psychological images. To create lush personal landscapes, I incorporate paint, photo transfer and most recently encaustic. I’ve also consulted with Crayola Corporation.
Website: www.elysemartin.com Email: elyse@elysemartin.com

Jane Michalski

I’ve been working with encaustic since 2005. I’m a board member of the Logan Square Chamber of the Arts and have curated exhibits for the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival. Also, I was the recipient of 2008 and 2009 CAAP grants from the Chicago Dept. of Cultural Affairs, and a 2011 Professional Development Grant from the Illinois Arts Council. I earned a BFA at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and an MA at the Univ. of Illinois-Urbana.

Website: janemichalski@womanmade.net Email: f.michalski@sbcglobal.net

Ahavani Mullen

I engage in the process of creating art as a spiritual practice, drawing on inner experiences and meditations, and feeding on mental silence.  My work explores how the earth plane and the higher, inner worlds blend with each other and complete each other. Much of the process is about navigating what is hidden, unseen, and what is revealed. Because encaustic paint is built up layer upon layer, it is particularly well suited to the atmospheres I wish to evoke.

Website: www.ahavani.com Email: ahavani@gmail.com