Utah Artist Uses Beeswax and Facebook to Create New Collaborative Art Form

Seizing on social media and sustainability trends, Sean Diediker, a leading Utah artist, has harnessed Facebook for the creation of his encaustic (beeswax) art. Diediker created a unique collaborative group on Facebook called the Wax Onion. Asking one simple question -"What do you see?" - he opened the group page to the public, and well over a thousand participants accepted his invitation to directly provide their insights and opinions on his encaustic artwork during its creation. The result: a comprehensive yearlong collaborative effort with richly diverse global influences that resulted in a striking series of limited edition encaustic plates. "These pieces are collective journals of humanity as it exists today," says Diediker.

The encaustic medium requires 100% pure beeswax and pigment to produce an image, which is rendered further by manipulation with found items and common household tools. Notably, Diediker's encaustic artwork is all natural -- involving no harsh chemical components -- and is made with a sustainable local resource: beeswax. To see the full series of Wax Onion Encaustics, visit: http://www.bookmasters.com/marktplc/03147.htm

The collaborative process and resulting artwork have been chronicled in a book called The Wax Onion: The Art of Sean Diediker, which will be released at a premiere book-signing event in Provo on the evening of Saturday, October 23, 2010. A portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to The National Breast Cancer Organization.

Mr. Diediker is an internationally acclaimed artist who began his career in Utah. His artwork is on exhibit at museums and galleries worldwide. He has been commissioned widely, including recent work for President Obama. Diediker divides his time between Utah and Australia.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• diediker
• encaustic
• painting
• art
• sean
• wax
• obama

[azdragonfly1]

Can't wait for the book!