While encaustics can be traced back to the egyp-

tians in its simplest form,

encaustic art has seen a

resurgence in popularity

since the 1990’s. With The new invention of ‘Encaustic hotcakes’ it has never been easier to break into the

medium! In honor of the this Rsg would like to

share with you our top 10

reasons we love this his-

toric meduim and inovative

new brand:

1: Now that hot wax comes in

individual metal tins with

the wax and pigment already

combined it makes my studio

time with encaustics more

efficient and safe!

2: I can use my pancake grid-

dle for something other

than pancakes.

3: I have always wanted an

excuse to work on art wood

panels (and i can use up all

those blank canvases lying

around).

4: with the ability to model

the surface you can feel

like a sculpture on a 2-d

project.

5: my color palette feels

limitless with 84 colors to

choose from.

6: I feel so smart when i

tell people i use a hake

brush!

7: Encaustic painting can be

reworked immediatly or

years later with the appli-

cation of heat.

8: eco-friendly damar resin

indulges my attempts to ‘go green’.

9: works well with supplies

i already have, like oil and arylic paint.

10: i never hesitate jumping

in to a project with my en-

caustics because the clean

up is so easy!

Above: Seth Fitts talking with onlooker while painting in window of Rome Street Gallery during 2010 Mayfest in

downtown Carrollton.

Below: Recent artwork of Seth Fitts that can be viewed at his upcoming show in July.

When we here, at Rome Street

Gallery, found out that Seth Fitts had

a show coming up in July at the

Carrollton Cultural Arts Center we

were absolutley ecstatic. Like most

Carrolltonians we crave new work from

arguably one of Carrollton's most beloved

local artists; but then we started

thinking, this would be a great

opportunity to get to know the artist

just a little bit better. Who is the man

behind the work? What is the "artists

lifestyle" like for him?

A creative force dating all the way

back to grade school; it is no

surprisethat he has been featured in over

a dozen group and solo exhibitions. The

engaging worlds he depicts in his work is

what keeps us coming back for more time

and time again, but it is that precise

"symbolist illustration" style (a phrase

coined by the artist himself) that drives

our desire to know more.

Rome Street Gallery: How did you get

into art?

Seth Fitts:: I’ve always been interested in illustrations. My Artistic ability was

noticed in 2nd grade with a weekly

Monday assignment of writing and drawing

about the weekends happenings.

RSG: How many shows have you had?

SF: Combining group and solo shows,

around 17.

RSG: Can you give a brief artist

statement?

SF: Art, that is ART, must have soul.

It must affect the viewer internally, in

both the heart and the mind. In my work

I try to explore the idea or essence of

the subject matter. For example, I try

to convey more than just a bird but the

spirit of the bird.

CONTINUED INSIDE..............

what’s Inside:SETH FITTS INTERVIEW:

Continued interview with seth

fitts. See more of his artwork

from his upcoming show and

find out what top 5 art

supplies he can’t live without!

Class Registration:

Get ahead of the curve!

Find out what classes Rome

Street Gallery will be offering

this summer with a look

ahead at the fall listings.

Erase Those Fears Away:

All your questions about

Erasers are answered with

RSG’s “Insider Giude” to choosing the right Eraser!

Canvas: Come and Get It!

Check out why time and time

again artists turn to Rome

Street Gallery for all their

Canvas needs.

Calendar:

We have put together a

calendar of this months

happenings to keep you in

“the know” of all the art

activities going on.

Coupons!

Ok, we know this is the real reason you

read this newsletter. Go

on, we won't look, you can skip ahead.

Recycle

We wouldn't want you to be waistful, so go check out our cool

suggestion on how to

recycle your paper!

THE BUTCHER TRAY LOCAl JULYA2

RSG: What do you want people to take away

from your show?

SF: I hope that the viewer leaves with more

than what they came in with; I hope

they leave a little more inspired, enlightened.

RSG: Is there anything you are doing for this

show that we haven't seen from you

before?

SF: More obvious mixed media techniques are

being explored and will be seen.

RSG: How do you go about preparing for a

solo exhibition?

SF: I am in the studio working almost daily so

preparation is little. It seems I

am constantly making some sort of artwork

whether it be drawing or painting. I

do my best to stay motivated and continue

making artwork.

RSG: Now that you have done a few shows do

you find that you approach them all the

same or is it different with every one?

SF: I think I approach them mostly the same.

Then again, special circumstances

call for special measures.

RSG: Who are your major artistic influences?

SF: There are many more influences but these

are the artists who have had the most

impact on my artwork.

Morris Graves (an influence during college)

Leonard Baskin(influence during college and now)

Holly Roberts (an influence during college... and

now)

Dave McKean (long time influence)

RSG: Where do you get inspiration for your

work? is it from real life experiences

or is it more of a conceptual approach?

SF: It’s a little of both. I had a death in the family 16 years ago and it, plus other life

experiences, fuel the concept I have in my

artwork.

RSG: How do you feel your work fits into

modern artistic culture?

SF: I am unsure how it fits.

RSG: Do you consider yourself more of an

artist, illustrator or a hybrid of both?

SF: Definitely a hybrid of both. Even in though

I make just an illustration, I still try to make

it more so by adding some meaningful symbols and

such.

RSG: Being an illustrator sketching is obviously

an important part of your work;

do you find that you are always sketching or

does it come from a more organic

place?

SF: It’s both. I am almost always sketching and drawing and since I do that, the organic, more

creative, is free to take charge while I work

on a piece.

RSG: What is the continuous thread between

your work? Are they connected

esthetically or is there an underlying conceptual

story line or thread?

SF: I feel all my pieces are connected with the

conceptual story line.

RSG: I've noticed experimentation in your work,

do you consider this an important

step in the creative process or is it simply a

vehicle for adding visual

interest?

SF: Again both. Experimentation leads to a more

creative process and at the same

time adds interest. Experimentation allows for me

to create a piece in a unique

way I otherwise may not have thought of.

RSG: What avenues of mediums have you

explored more recently?

SF: As of late I have been experimenting with

image transfers mostly.

RSG: Is exploration of mediums something you

promote in you class above other

things?

SF: Yes, that and I urge the students to paint

the idea rather than the thing.

RSG: How do you feel teaching has influenced

your work?

SF: I think teaching children has affected the

figures that show up in my work and

both children and adults have given me other

ideas to experiment with in my work.

RSG: If you could suggest any 5 supplies for a

new artist to use what would they

be?

SF: I won’t count brushes because I think they go along with the medium and

paint.

-Golden Matte Medium

-Conte Pierre Noir pencil

-Golden Paints

-Pastel chalk (Rembrandt is good)

-2b pencil(Cretacolor, Faber-Castell, &

Prismacolor makes great ones)

RSG: What are your top 5 supplies that you

love or go back to time and time

again?

-Golden Matte Medium -Conte Pierre Noir 2b pastel pencil

-2b pencil

-Golden paints -Rembrandt Pastels

ok, I have to add one more.......

-Rives BFK paper (the cream is my

favorite)

RSG: So lets end this with a fun question,

What is you favorite color and why?

SF: Yellow Ochre. It is the most versatile with

drawing or painting and it just makes a great,

luminous tone.

Beginning Watercolor:Start date: Tuesday August 176 weeks $1203:00-5:00pm or 7:00-9:00pmFigure Drawing:Start date: Wednesday September 1, 6 weeks $1457:00-9:00pm with modelBeginning Oil:Start date: MondaySeptember 13, 6 weeks $1203:00-5-00pm or 6:00-8:00pmAcrylic Painting:Start date: Saturday July 35 weeks $100 10:00-12 noon

orStart date: Wednesday July 285 weeks $100 10:00-12noonEncaustics Workshop:Wednesday July 21, 9:00-1:00pm 1 day, all supplies included, $60

orSaturday August 7 9:00-1:00pm1 day, all supplies included, $60

Reservations Required770-838-4993

Shop Rome Street Gallery for All Your Canvas Needs !Be honest, sometimes the hardest part of starting a new piece of art work is finding the Canvas size you need. That’s why, we here at Rome Street Gallery, we keep a wide range of canvas sizes in stock. This way no matter what size you need, wethere it is little 5”x5” or you are feeling more

adventurous and want to work with a 60”x72” you can rest assure RSG will fulfill all your canvas needs. Oh, and don’t forget, we are always priced at 40% off list!

THE BUTCHER TRAY LOCAl JULYA3

The difference is in the eraser!

how to pick the

perfect eraser

kneaded eraser:

An essential tool

for the sketching, pastel, and charcoal artist, this kneadable

eraser can be

kneaded into

various shapes and

sizes for erasing

ease. With the

ability to erase

cleanly and pick

up all residue, it is excellent for

removing or

highlighting.

Pencil erasers:

Ideal for

fine-point erasing

of black-lead,

ever go to use

your eraser and

then stop in fear

that you might

destroy your paper

or half finished

project because

it might not be

the proper eraser

for the job? well

rsg is here to

help you with

your eraser

conundrums. With

these helpful tips

and insider

information you

will start

erasing with

confidence in no

time!

color pencils and

charcoal. We like

the natural pencil

grip that allows

us to make a

precise line that

much easier!

Gum Eraser:

These Dual purpose,

non-abrasive

erasers clean

drawing surfaces

with a fine powder

that also absorbs

graphite and dirt.

They are good for

fine art, graphic design, architecture and

craft use.

Magic rub eraser:

Magic Rub viynl

drafting erasers

are ideal for

erasing on

drafting films, delicate drawings

or tracing paper.

We always suggest

this eraser for

artists who are

working with

papers with

textured sizing

that are not

traditional

drawing paper, such as Rives BFK.

Continued below...

Pink Pearl;

This soft pink

pliable eraser is

made for use with

graphite pencils.

Basically the

same eraser at

the end of your

pencil; this old fashioned standby

keeps folks coming

back for more, time and time

again. a word of

caution though, this eraser may

seem reliable when

working on low-key

sketches but when

it comes to your

final pieces we-

suggest turning to

a more stable

option.

Mars white

plastic eraser:

Thoroughly removes

graphite lines

from paper, vellum and drafting film

without ghosting.

it leaves anti-

static strings

that can be

brushed away, instead of powdery

dust of

conventional

erasers. if we

could suggest just

one eraser to use

this would be it!

we turn to this

eraser to solve

all of our erasing

problems; this is an example of a

more stable eraser

we mentioned

earlier. Trust us, after you try this

eraser you won’t even need this

eraser guide

because all your

eraser problems

will be solved. it’s that good!

Rubber Cement

eraser:

Ok, let’s just make something clear, this is not an

eraser! At least

not for drawing.

we added this to

the list to help

clearify some

confusion about

it being called an

“eraser”. this is designed to “erase” excess cement(glue)

and cleaning up

areas around glued

surfaces. This is

also great for

removing

watercolor

masking/drawing

fluid without

disturbing the

sizing of the

paper.

Click, Click

Rome Bradley Street

Alabam

a Bankhead

Adamson Square

Piece of the Pie

Hortons

bookstore Corner Cafe

Irish Pub

Presbyterian

alley way

Come Find UsHere is our info, just in case

you don't have it already:

6:00-8:00pm

6:00-8:00pm