About Cari
Cari uses the ancient medium of encaustic (molten pigmented beeswax) to create many of her luscious abstract paintings and sculptures, as well as more commonly know mediums of oil and acrylic. Her work combines rich color fields in conjunction with an elegant layering of line and pattern creating a developed depth of interest in each painting whereby the human experience is woven into her rich layers of material, creating a historical record for exploration. When working with other mediums such as oil or fiber, her focus continues to be centered on color study, shape, and form. She is endlessly inspired by her natural environment of the ocean, mountains, and wildlife that surround her in Sonoma County.
Cari was born and raised in the Bay Area of Northern California, and studied fine art photography at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA. Prior to becoming a full-time studio artist, she operated her own commercial photography studio for 7 years in San Francisco, CA.
As a full-time artist Cari teaches, lectures, and shows her work in the US and abroad. She is a founding board member of International Encaustic Artists (IEA). As a board member she served 5 years, serving as the Education Chair, which included creating and directing the first 3 annual retreats & conferences held in Carmel Valley, CA. Her methods and artwork are featured in two instructional DVDs, as well as being featured in several books and articles*. Cari is a CORE Artist for R&F Handmade Paints, Kingston, NY.
* ‘Some move intriguingly into the sculptural realm- such as Cari Hernandez, with her wax-coated books in “An unfolding relationship”, the pages rolled, or stilled in midair.’ - Cate McQuaid, November14, 2012 The Boston Globe,G3
Surface Design Journal Spring 2016; featured artwork & images
Art; 2016 Davis Publishing
Encaustic Art: the complete guide to creating fine art with wax,- Lissa Rankin 2010 Watson Guptill
Encaustic with a Textile Sensibility - Daniella Woolf 2010,Waxy Buildup Press Contemporary Paper & Encaustic - Catherine Nash, 2013 ArtWorksMagazine -Winter2006
Lectures & Presentations
6/18 The Art of Installation, International Encaustic Conference, MA
7/15 Artist Talk, Mendocino Center for the Arts, Mendocino, CA
6/13 Artist Talk, Idyllwild Arts Academy, Idyllwild, CA
10/11 Artist Talk, Chapman Bialy, Melbourne, Australia
9//11 Practical Uses, Sydney, Australia
6/11 Presentation International Encaustic Conference, MA
6/10 Featured Artist Talk, 47th Annual Art Festival Lake Oswego, OR
6/10 Presentation International Encaustic Conference, MA
4/09 Director IEA Annual Conference multiple presentations & moderations, Carmel Valley, CA
6/08 Presentation International Encaustic Conference, MA
4/08 Director IEA Annual Conference multiple presentations & moderations, Carmel Valley, CA
6/07 Collaborate; a practice of artistic collaboration, International Encaustic Conference, MA
4/07 Director IEA Annual Conference multiple presentations & moderations, Carmel Valley, CA
Exhibition, Publications, & Collections
Publications
‘Some move intriguingly into the sculptural realm- such as Cari Hernandez, with her wax-coated books in “An unfolding relationship”, the pages rolled, or stilled in midair.’ – Cate McQuaid, November14, 2012 The Boston Globe,G3
Encaustic Arts Magazine – Winter 2017 Issue; featured artist profile
Surface Design Journal– Spring 2016; featured artwork & images
Art – 2016 Davis Publishing; secondary school text book
Authentic Visual Voices: Contemporary Paper & Encaustic – Catherine Nash, 2013, one of 28 featured international artists
Encaustic Art: the complete guide to creating fine art with wax;- Lissa Rankin 2010 Watson Guptill, featured work methods and multiple gallery pages of artwork
Encaustic with a Textile Sensibility – Daniella Woolf 2010,Waxy Buildup Press, artist profile & artwork
ArtWorks Magazine – Winter 2006 Issue, workshop & teaching featured
WAX Twist: advanced encaustic techniques; instructional DVD, 2010, Wax Twist
WAX Twist:Folding,Twisting,Curling; instructional DVD, 2012, WAX Twist
Exhibition Schedule
Solo Shows:
4/18 a Conspiracy for Hope, Fulton Gallery, Fulton, CA
5/17 Laundry, Fulton Gallery, Fulton, CA
7/16 Persphonie Revisited, Fulton Gallery, Fulton, CA
9/11 Jubilation, Market Street Gallery, San Francisco, CA
4/09 the Other Side, Esalen, Big Sur, CA
Group Shows:
4/17 Sand Reckoner, Conrad Wild Gallery, Tucson, AZ
8/16 Museo Gallery, Langly, WA
4/16 Altered Books, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Novato, CA
3/15 10th Annual Encaustic Invitational, Conrad Wild Gallery, Tucson, AZ
3/14 9th Annual Encaustic Invitational, Conrad Wild Gallery, Tucson, AZ
3/13 8th Annual Encaustic Invitational, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ
4/13 Altered Books, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Novato, CA
6/13 the Gallery at Idylle Arts, Idylle CA
10/12 The Future of the Past, The Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA
4/12 Altered Books, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Novato, CA
3/12 WAX: contemporary encaustic works, Pajaro Valley Arts Council, CA
6/11Encaustic with a Textile Sensibility, Kimball Center for the Arts, Park City, UT
4/11 Altered Books: Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Novato, CA
3/11 6th Annual Encaustic Invitational: Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ
6/10 Invited Featured Artist: Luminous Layers: Exploring Contemporary Encaustic; 47th Annual Art Festival Lake Oswego, OR
11/09 "Cross Pollination" Chicago, IL
10/09 "Embedded Light" Gross Point Center for the Arts, Gross Point, MI
11/09 "Waxing Philosophically": Marin Community Foundation, San Rafael, CA
5/09 "Artageous" Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA
3/09 "Encaustic Works '09" R&F Handmade Paints @ Castle Gallery, New Rochelle, NY
6/08 "summer salon show" Conrad Wilde Gallery,Tucson, AZ
6/08 "on the edge" Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA
4/08 "the Diptych Project: a collaboration in wax" Brian Marki Fine Art, Portland, OR
3/08 "third annual encaustic exhibition" Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ
12/07 "per square foot" Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ
12/07 "ahead of the buzz" the Gallery @ R&F, Kingston, NY
10/07 "Woodstock Brydcliffe Biennial", Woodstock Brydcliffe Guild, Woodstock, NY
9/07 "Renewal" Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Novato, CA
7/07 "Nine: Textures" Venus Rising Galley/ Butte Silver Bow Arts Foundation, Butte, MT
4/07 "off the Grid:New Directions in Wax" Lauryn Taylor Fine Art, Carmel, CA
4/07 "Nine: textures" Contemporary Arts, Las Vegas, NV
2/07 "Owning Pink" Lauryn Taylor Fine Art, Carmel, CA
12/06 "Holiday Lites" Lauryn Taylor Fine Art, Carmel, CA
10/06 "Wax Works", O'Hanlon Center, Mill Valley, CA
9/06 "Hot Wax" Lauryn Taylor Fine Art, Carmel, CA
4/06 "Falkirk Annual Exhibition" San Rafael, CA
3/06 "First Annual Encaustic Invitational" Conrad Wild Gallery, Tucson, AZ
1/06 "Hot Wax" Studio gallery, SF, CA
