Workhouse Artist of the Week: Gina Cochran

What sort of inspiration could a soft-spoken southern artist find in a technique that dates to 100-300 A.D.? Gina Cochran found her muse in encaustic painting, a wax and pigment-based medium.

“Several years ago I heard the word encaustic. I didn’t know what it was so I looked it up… I loved everything about it,” said Cochran as she flipped through book to a page with Fayum mummy portraits from ancient Egypt. “See that? The wax seals the pigment and it survived in a place that was hot, buried in a tomb and forgotten for all these years. It’s amazing to me.”

An Alabama native, Cochran moved to Burke eight months ago with her husband, Grant and seven-year-old son Cooper. She has been in residence at studio 909B at the Workhouse for six weeks. The studio smells of melted wax and fresh paint. Cochran's desk is surrounded by jars of colored wax, oil sticks and empty canvases. 

“I found the Workhouse by chance while researching art therapy programs for my son last year,” she said. “I’d been a home studio hermit for so long, and at the time I knew my studio at my new home was small and uncomfortable, but it was manageable. I visited Michelle (Aquilino, a Workhouse fiber artist) and I started thinking… it would be nice to have my own space too. I’m glad I did. I’m enjoying being part of this community."

Cochran received her Master's degree in counseling from the University of Alabama and is a former child counselor. “Cooper is delightful and challenging,” she said of her son. "I’ve volunteered at times and worked with children and parents as a team to do art. These children can sometimes communicate through art, but other times it’s just another chore.

“I started a blog about painting with Cooper. It’s called “Art and Autism–A Collaboration with Cooper". He was initially really gung-ho about it,” she said. “It was fun and there was a lot to write about, but now, maybe I’ve pushed too much. He sometimes sees it as work and tells me “all done painting”.”

Cochran’s subjects have evolved over time from soft and muted trees to hard lines and bright colors. “I think a lot of what I do is just inspired by daily life and life with Cooper,” she said. “A lot of it is not entirely self-directed. I get these little ideas… I used to say they were constantly tapping me on my shoulder, keeping me awake at night. I don’t want to speak ill of my muse, but it can get pretty annoying.”

Two colorful and bold paintings line the walls of the entry to building 9. “These are a far cry from the monotone trees,” she laughed. “I use the words ‘listen, hear and speak’ in my work. That’s from my son. I also use text, writing and crossing things out. The checkerboard pattern is a reference to games, and how important it is to play. I knew I’d have to teach my child a lot of things, but I never knew I would have to teach him how to play.”

Cochran’s encaustic art takes anywhere from several days to weeks to create, and when finished, requires 48 hours before it can be buffed with a cloth for a shiny finish.

“I’m building up certain muscles, but I love it,” said Cochran. “I’m self-taught. I didn’t study art, but it’s always something I experienced and have seen as therapeutic... It’s like breathing for me. It’s what I do. My husband will tell me when I’m being cranky to go spend some time in the studio. And it makes a difference… It really does.”

Cochran also works with acrylics. “Even though I have only one child, I liken it to having two — and you can’t pick a favorite... but probably encaustic is more fun for me,” she said when asked if she prefers one medium over the other. “But I still enjoy acrylics. I just can’t seem to let it go entirely. 

“I’m a very lucky girl to love what I do,” said Cochran. “It doesn’t really feel like a job. I would still like to do something with special needs kids, someway, somehow. That’s on my to-do list. Meanwhile, I do that at home every day.”

Artwork at Cochran’s studio is prices from $50-$3,500. In October, her art will be shown along with 40 other juried artists at McLean’s MPAartfest.