Episode 11 – Fleshiness of Encaustic: An interview with Tammy Jo Wilson

Artist Tammy Jo Wilson stops by to tell us about her artwork, our common experience of corporeal fleshiness, and how Encaustics (an ancient painting technique using hot wax and pigment) perfectly mirrors the luminosity of skin. Wilson also talks about her role as Co-Founder and President of Art in Oregon, an ambitious non-profit with the goal of building and sustaining art patronage through pride in Oregon artists and pride in art ownership. She also tells about her superpowers, speaks to the importance of collecting art, and describes her show currently on view in Newberg.

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Tammy Jo Wilson (TJW) 0:00
Are our brains warm?

Kendra Larson (KJL) 0:02
My brain is warm

Ashley Larson (AL) 0:11

Welcome to Art Gab. I’m Ashley.

Kendra Larson (KJL) 0:12
And I’m Kendra and today we have Tammy Joe Wilson with us. Tammy Jo Wilson is a visual artist working in painting and photography from her studio in Oregon City, Oregon. She earned her MFA in art photography at the San Jose State University in California, and BFA in photography from the Pacific Northwest College Park. In 2017, she was the recipient of the Leland Ironworks golden spot Artist in Residence supported by Ford Family Foundation. Ever active in the Portland arts community, Wilson has volunteered with rack, ritual arts and culture Council and Oregon Women’s Caucus for art. She is also the co founder and president of art in Oregon, a nonprofit with the goal of building sustaining art patronage through pride and Oregon artists and pride and art ownership. work has been exhibited all over the country including at the nine five gallery in New York, and the San Jose Museum of Art in San Jose, California, or exhibition biological dissonance with Amanda triplet is currently on view at the show halen Cultural Center in Newburgh, Oregon. Tammy Joe, welcome. Welcome to Art Gab!

Tammy Jo Wilson (TJW) 1:26
Alright, thanks for having me.

Ashley Larson (AL) 1:28
Yeah, how’s your guys weekend?

Tammy Jo Wilson (TJW) 1:30
pretty mellow. I would say an average weekend, average weekend I did my my run. I do a long run every week in which I look forward to just spending time outside and I always take a moment to notice something interesting or beautiful while I’m out there. Because it’s kind of like my meditative practice. And yesterday I got to see three new tree I think they’re called new chair. They’re like half beaver half possum. That was like my moment my takeaway from my outside time yesterday. They were just telling us eating it was very beautiful. And I got way too hot.

Kendra Larson (KJL) 2:01
That’s great! I mean, not that you’re hot. But that’s awesome to see wildlife.

Tammy Jo Wilson (TJW) 2:04
No. I love getting hot. It’s okay.

Kendra Larson (KJL) 2:08
I g ot way too hot this weekend. Yeah, it’s crazy. Um, where do you run by the way?

Unknown Speaker 2:13
Well, I live in Oregon City. So I always start from my house and then just go out. I’ll usually go along the Willamette River. There’s some you know, trolley trails and everything along there. And wetlands. It’s really beautiful.

Ashley Larson (AL) 2:25
Yeah, I like running for that. I feel like you see something new? Yeah. Yeah, I went to the art fair in Salem.

Tammy Jo Wilson (TJW) 2:33
Yeah, I didn’t know that was happening this weekend. I’m sad that I’m missing it

Ashley Larson (AL) 2:37
going on today. So you can still make it. But I mean that it’s the 70th year. And it’s also the hundred year anniversary of the Salem Art Association.

Tammy Jo Wilson (TJW) 2:47
Wow. Very cool. That’s very cool. Yeah, I just ventured down to Salem to experience their art just recently, having not really gone to Salem to view for art practice, or viewing, which I don’t really know why because it’s not far away. And I did see that their festival is coming up. So I’m sad that I’m missing it. But next year, next year, I’m excited to go to the Seattle art fair, which I’ve never been to. So that’s coming up August 1 to the fourth. That’d be so if you missed the Salem fair, you can go experience that one. Totally. How was the Salem our fair?

Ashley Larson (AL) 3:18
It was good. I mean, most of the artists are a lot of Portland. Salem, California. So like pretty close by artists. But it was fun. There’s glass, ceramics, metal, just a little bit of everything.

Kendra Larson (KJL) 3:32
Yeah. I’ve never been to Seattle Art Fair. But I assume that it’s less it’s more art and less fair. And then art fairs. Yeah. It feels more like fair. It’s outside. There’s

Tammy Jo Wilson (TJW) 3:43
Yeah, it’s a Yeah, it’s a different kind of, it’s more like the arts and crafts, artisans and artists, as well as call artists and artisans. You know, the functional art that is equally as beautiful and s...