We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Terri Yacovelli. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Terri below.

Terri, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I have always been drawn to encaustic art, which is painting with hot wax. I started reading books about it and watching online video demonstrations because I wanted to experiment with the medium without structured direction at first.
I finally took a workshop in 2014 and learned basic information, but it is a material that you have to work with to learn by trial and error.
Encaustic paint is heated beeswax with pigment added, so it is very fluid and can be poured, stamped, or carved. Each layer is fused to the previous with a blowtorch. The tools used in encaustic are often the same you use for hand building with clay. The earthy smell of the beeswax and using the wax to create interesting surface texture had me hooked right away. I think having previous painting and sculpture experience helped me get a handle on the medium.

For example, when I painted with oils, I liked to build up a strong underpainting first, then glaze more layers on top. This is a good way to work with encaustic. Layering opaque and transparent encaustic colors creates paintings that have luminosity, depth, and dimension. You do this by adjusting how much beeswax medium is added to the color. You can scrape through to expose previous layers and color. There is heightened visual interest since marks can be hidden and revealed.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am now a full time artists, having left public education after teaching studio art for 30 years. I also served as an adjunct professor at York college for 19 of those years, where I taught an art education course and an art appreciation course.
Teaching to different types of students has strongly reinforced my belief that art is for everyone.
We are born with the inherent need to create, but somehow, life discourages us to fully express ourselves. I always want to help others use their art to find their voice. Making art is not just about making something that looks great; it’s about the challenge and enjoyment of creating and having pride in resolving a problem. A project gives us a purpose. This is the reason that I continue to teach workshops and speak about the importance of the arts.

I recently developed and taught a workshop on critiquing art. The workshop offers tools to assist in analyzing a work of art, for artists as they create or for those interested in examining art on a deeper level. During workshops and art openings, I realized that in regard to discussing art, people just don’t know how; they need more information and are hesitant to ask. They will discuss music or movies in depth and with detail, yet often respond to art with a ‘like it/don’t like it.’ People will sometimes critique art solely on what they know about the artist in question instead of focusing on the physical art itself. Giving people the language and tools to develop a deeper understanding of the creative process is a passion for me. It opens a whole new visual appreciation when you learn to address an artwork’s formal elements—visual attributes such as color, line, texture, and materials. Art criticism encourages you to analyze artworks beyond surface level, leading to a more profound understanding of the artist’s intent, techniques, and the cultural context of the piece.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to take the focus off of the end product and embrace the uncertainty of the process. Process is as important as the product. I’m glad that I started using encaustic in the experimental manner that I did because I had to learn to let go. Working with hot wax can be frustrating; it often has a will of its own. You can’t fight with it. When it’s hot out, or if you over fuse with the blowtorch, the wax takes forever to set. You can’t move on with the piece. If it’s too cold, the wax sets up too fast. Sometimes your plan works out, and other times you have to give in to the medium and the moment.

That was hard for me as a structured, type “A” person, to let the painting lead the way. The lessons we learn during our studio practice can be applied to physical, mental, and emotional aspects of our everyday lives. It’s not unlike having a yoga practice; everything we learn in yoga class can be translated off your mat and into the real world. The creative process is the same way.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Having always worked alone in my studio, it was eye opening to reach out and work with other artists. I wish I had made more of an effort to ‘find my tribe’ earlier on in my creative journey. Working with other artists offers numerous benefits, including supportive friendships, access to diverse perspectives and skills, and the potential for stronger community connections. By working together we share skills and ideas, and by showing our work together, we have more of an outreach and impact. All of these things lead to more innovative and impactful art. It’s also wonderful to have people in your corner cheering you on and being excited about your artistic journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.terriyacovelli.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyacovelli/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terri-y-969685181/

Image Credits

Photos of the artist by Erin Elaine Photography
Artwork images copyright Terri Yacovelli 2024
Image of red and white painting: Searching for Sea Glass, 20×20 encaustic on panel 2024
Image of yellow painting: Sand and Roses, 12×12 encaustic on panel 2024