taleen batalian

As I move through the world, what usually interests me --- or, at least, what registers with me  --- are the details and tiny nuances of the visual experience. Like the color of the walls of a room in a movie scene; the texture of the fabric worn by someone sitting nearby; or the features of the branches of a tree outside my window. These impressions get tucked-away and become inspiration for my paintings. At the same time, my art is deeply personal in that my paintings will often represent moods and feelings I have that would, otherwise, never surface. Especially in my abstract work,  I am accessing and giving way to emotions and impressions that exist deep within me.

On Encaustic:
I love the translucency of wax. It enables me to create not only a depth to the piece, but a history of where I've been --- in my head, and with my hand. 

With encaustic, the demand created by that short window of time between when the beeswax is molten and when it hardens, is intense and exciting. I must be clear on the mark I will make before I make it.  If I'm off, the result is not what I envisioned. The wax hardens, and I miss my chance. 

Especially if carving into the layers of wax, every move is risky, so  I must be gutsy and decisive. Sometimes I put down a mark that feels right; but, as I pull away and ponder what's happening in the piece, if there's something missing or something doesn't seem right, the key becomes knowing where to go from there, what to do next.

Taleen Batalian is a painter who earned her BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and has been involved in fine arts for over fifteen years. She has taught Fine Art to students of all ages, and now teaches Encaustic Painting at Rhode Island School of Design's Continuing Education. Taleen currently manages an independent painting studio and resides in Providence, Rhode Island.