Reigniting Creative Fire: A Journey with Silicone Blades

June 14, 2025

Reigniting Creative Fire: A Journey with Silicone Blades

Featuring artist Carolyn Witschonke

There’s a special kind of magic that happens when the right tool finds the right artist at the perfect moment. That’s exactly what unfolded when I received a heartfelt message from Carolyn Witschonke, a seasoned artist who had recently taken part in my "Painting with Fire" encaustic monotype class.

Carolyn’s artistic journey is rich and expansive. With a BFA from the Corcoran School of Art, her early work was shaped by a love for watercolor and printmaking—particularly etching and monotypes. Inspired by Old World masters like Vermeer and her time living in Germany, her prints have long carried a sense of depth and quiet beauty.

More recently, Carolyn began exploring encaustic painting, and that’s where our paths crossed. She discovered my encaustic monotype class and decided to try something new. It wasn’t just a shift in technique—it was a breakthrough.

“I was jubilant. I hadn’t been that excited about something new in years.”

After purchasing a few silicone blades, Carolyn dove into her practice with renewed passion. The blades offered a forgiving and exciting way to build, revise, and discover. Her words reflected something I deeply relate to: the joy of creative flow and the freedom to make—and remake—your marks without hesitation.

“The whole process is forgiving and exciting. I want to try more and more ideas and have difficulty stopping.”

Each blade became a new entry point—fine lines for foundational layers, broader strokes for texture and form. She found inspiration in the unique qualities of each size and shape, and her curiosity continued to grow. The tools and processes weren’t just effective; they were meditative, energizing, and filled with potential.

Carolyn’s work reflects this renewed energy: bold, expressive, and richly layered. Her compositions evolve through experimentation, inviting spontaneous marks and the occasional happy accident. The blades become collaborators in her creative rhythm.

She continues to build her collection of tools, each one expanding the possibilities in her encaustic monotype work. Whether she’s laying down the first fine lines or carving bold shapes into the wax, her pieces radiate that essential spark—joyful curiosity.

Carolyn’s journey is a beautiful reminder that inspiration is always within reach. Her excitement, her willingness to experiment, and her continued exploration of new tools and ideas are what every artist hopes to find in their process.

To anyone feeling stuck or in need of a creative reset: sometimes all it takes is the right tool to invite you back into the flow. I’m honored that my silicone blades played a part in Carolyn’s evolving encaustic work—and if you’re curious, they might open something new for you, too.

More Ways to Use Silicone Blades

While Carolyn has been using the blades with encaustic monotype techniques, these tools are incredibly versatile. My handmade silicone blades are also well-suited for:

Gelli plate printing
Yupo paper with alcohol inks or acrylics
Acrylic paint on canvas or panel
Cold wax techniques
Mixed media mark-making

They’re flexible, durable, and ideal for reductive mark-making, layering, and building up texture. Whether you’re working on a heated palette or a cold surface, these blades offer control and spontaneity in equal measure.