The works of the eight artists featured in this newest exhibit at the McLean Project for the Arts — Kristy Deetz, Peter Dykhuis, Lorraine Glessner, Cheryl Goldsleger, Reni Gower, Heather Harvey, Jeffrey S. Hirst and Timothy McDowell — are not only connected by their use of the ancient painting method called "encaustic." Curator Reni Gower chose artists who, in this fast-paced era of multi-tasking and technology, have returned to the slow and “labor intensive work that uses the hand in a ritual act” to create art that “requires time to decipher.” With encaustic, the magic is in the details.

The method of encaustic involves adding pigment to heated beeswax, and applying the resulting pasty liquid to a surface. This allows artists to affix a variety of physical elements under the translucent waxy medium. Philadelphia artist Lorraine Glessner’s twenty-paneled Nexus I – XX (panel three pictured left) conceals hair, grass and translucent ovals, as well as a myriad of pink, white and black raised circles. While some of the hairs form messy, erratic globs, others are more carefully arranged to resemble blueprints. Like much of the other exhibited work, Glessner’s piece is strikingly stunning from a distance. Closer study reveals rawness — burnt edges, grotesque hairs, textures and cell-like forms — creating an orderly chaos reminiscent of microscope slides.

Image of Lorraine Glessner's Nexus I - XX courtesy of the gallery.

Jeffrey Hirst takes this beauty-turns-ugly trickery to another level. Water, Land and Sky (pictured right) appears to be a simple, couch-matching, six-paneled abstract painting from across the room. But only three of the six panels provide a sense of order and beauty; the other three are covered in grotesque assaults of color, collage, fragmented stencils and riotous mark-making. At a close distance, it’s so ugly that it’s delectable.

Trickery is lacking in Timothy McDowell’s work; each piece is equally beautiful no matter how distanced. Like Glessner, McDowell has an affinity for science, nature and order. The muted floral patterns in the background of Exposed Strata suggest the interior of a peeling, stained, weather-worn Victorian mansion. In each of his pieces, McDowell tops this grandmother quality with Einsteinesque geometric drawings, forming an interesting juxtaposition.

Friday evening at 7 p.m., the McLean Project for the Arts holds Art Appetizers, where you can enjoy food and wine along with a discussion of the artwork. Additionally, on Saturday, May 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., VCU painting professor and exhibition curator Reni Gower will be giving an encaustic slide lecture and demonstration. Tickets to Art Appetizers cost $15; tickets to the demonstration cost $10. Call 703-790-1953 or email info[at]mpaart.org for reservations.

Image of Jeffrey Hirst's Water, Land and Sky courtesy of the gallery.

The Divas and Iron Chefs of Encaustic runs until June 7 at McLean Project for the Arts. The gallery is located at 1234 Ingleside Avenue in McLean, Virginia and is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.