From the archives: Layered histories with Rebecca Crowell

Show Notes

Takeaways from this episode

• Cold wax medium invites exploration and ease.

  Freed from the traditional rules of oil painting, artists can build texture, accelerate drying time, and rediscover the joy of process.

• Abstraction is not chaos – it’s considered.

  Rebecca shares how intuition and intention work in tandem, offering ‘guardrails’ that guide her deeper into the emotional and visual language of her work.

• Collaboration can change everything.

  The creation of her seminal book Cold Wax Medium with Jerry McLaughlin came from an unexpected email – and turned into a lasting, creative partnership.

• Teaching is a form of legacy.

  Through books, podcasts and the Cold Wax Academy, Rebecca’s thoughtful teaching continues to shape artists' practices and expand the possibilities of medium and message.

• Every painting has more to reveal.

  “I usually don’t give up on anything,” Rebecca says. Instead, she listens for what each work is trying to say – even through the muddiness, the mess, or the quiet. 

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Explore the artwork from this episode below

During the live interview, we shared some images of Rebecca’s artwork. Since you’re listening to the podcast version, we’ve made these images available for you below.