Artist's Statement

The idea – Create a two-person show using the encaustic technique. We brainstormed on a title that played on the idea of wax and came up with “Waxy Buildup : Cleaning House.” We decided to interpret it each in our own way. We posted our progress on a blog - www.waxybuildup.blogspot.com.

I decided to take the approach to this theme from the inside out. I have been doing some personal-inner work and felt that this was the perfect opportunity for me to finalize and release some of the old habits and beliefs I had gotten rid of and honor the new points of view and truth that have moved into those spaces. I chose to use the image of the woman’s legs in red pumps as a metaphor for my process of killing off “the wicked witch” in myself that no longer served me. The other elements, images, and text represent new lessons learned and ways of “being”.
- Trayc Claybrook

When we came up with the concept and the phrase “waxy buildup,” I immediately visualized the stereotypical 50’s housewife – happy to not only serve her family and clean her house but look beautiful to boot. The subtitle “cleaning house” led me to search for imagery and words that related to housekeeping and traditional “women’s work.”

I went to thrift stores for my supplies – old dress patterns and doilies. My imagery came from retro 50’s clip art. I used words and text that evoked the advertising aimed at the typical 50’s housewife – “saves time!” “…for your family,” and “clean and pure.”

These words combined with the house shape and imagery of the happy housewife create a body of work that is both nostalgic and cynical. The nostalgic images and words elude to a happier, simpler time that most likely didn’t exist, except perhaps on TV. The perfect housewife was supposed to conform to a strict set of rules and expectations.
– Deanna Wood